Reign of Dreams
by Rem-chan
Summary: Someone once said the closer the light, the greater the shadow. Sora, Riku, and Kairi, after a too brief peace, will learn this lesson anew as a terrible fate descends upon the worlds. Now, something given may be lost forever…sequel to Court of Souls
1. Prologue

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Author's Notes: …what can I say? The sequel to _Court of Souls_…is here. IT'S HERE! Well, the prologue, anyway, with more soon to follow. This is gonna be a big one folks (even I don't know how long, as portions of the outline still aren't finished) and I hope we can all hang on for the ride. I'm back from my vacation, I've been accepted into college, I'm getting a job, and I'm paying AOL that damn twenty-three dollars a month to keep my Internet, even if, due to having only dial-up, my time is limited of a day.

But yes, it is a time of change, and new pathways. Or is it a time of endings? I don't knooooow…you'll just have to look below. :D

Anyway, the usual warnings: if you haven't read CoS, then don't even try reading this. You'll be damn confused. Also, characters _will _cuss now and then and they _will _bleed. Plus, time has passed, for certain, and that means the kid gloves are coming off in some respects. This IS rated the way it is for a reason. Not only that, but I'll still go at a rather slow pace (for more than one reason now), but, like always, _I do intend to finish this_. It is a personal thing, really, that I always finish whatever I start (and I do mean this, even for certain fics that have been sitting on the shelf for a while). Reviews are, of course, welcome, but flamers and stalkers and rabid monkeys will be ignored and, more than likely, laughed at. My muses (points to Ryu Soma and Chibi Shido, back from the dead) would also like to point out that I do not take requests/demands to have certain events happen, certain scenes, certain couples, or to change anything that has already happened. Though unfinished, this fanfiction is dictated by the outline **alone** and that's not about to change.

Whew! Enough with the doom and gloom! We're all here for the enjoyment of it, right? So…enjoy! D

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Reign of Dreams

By

Rem-chan

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"…I let you down

You trusted me, believed in me

and I let you down

Of all the things I hid from you

I cannot hide the shame

And I pray someone, something will

come, to take away the pain

There's no way out of this dark place

No hope, no future

I know I can't be free

But I can't see another way

I can't face another day."

…"No Way Out", _Brother Bear_

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Prologue: The Price We Pay

How did this happen?

The clouds were dark, pregnant, and full to bursting, yet still the rain had not come. Cool, glistening droplets would have been a succor upon the land, a reason for the people to cry. The wet would hide their tears, would give them an excuse to mourn with all the abandon they wished so desperately to display. There really was nothing else to be done, all that was left being this deep, heartbreaking sadness, the like of which hadn't been felt since wars of decades past. No one was spared the sorrow, the festering despair that spread across the land like an abysmal plague, hurting and scarring with wounds that would never disappear.

The Crowned Prince was _gone_…kidnapped, lost, murdered, the grisly possibilities went on and on. How long had they been searching? How long had all the people of the kingdom sought and questioned and demanded with all their hearts to have their beloved Prince returned? It seemed centuries, the previous days of happiness but faded memories felt in the few times the sun seemed to shine. In other, neighboring kingdoms, such deeply felt loss was a foreign thing, but their Prince was precious beyond measure. For his kindness, for his bravery, for his insecurities and rebelliousness; for his young wisdom and also young mistakes; for the way that, whatever task he was set to, he would put all of himself into it, willing it to be done with a manner that was both rash and gentle. He had been so young…just reaching his eighteenth year…there had been such promise in him, for more than just the throne.

So very much more…he had been the first Keybearer to appear in an Age, carrying with him one of three items of power linked to all that is, though few knew of this outside of the King and his closest council.

It was the reason for so many things, the Key that he carried. For a 'normal' Prince to disappear was a tragic and terrible even in itself, but for him to have wielded a Keyblade as well…the implications stretched farther than the kingdom, to the very existence of all worlds. The Key marked him as one needed to guard the lives of all, as one destined for greatness should he have the strength to find it and face it. He had a _purpose _and in all the people had been born an indomitable will to protect him.

But then…he had disappeared, so very few clues left as to _why_. It had seemed hopeless in the first few days of searching, the questions traveling in endless circles with no answers to be found. A cryptic message, a sign of struggle, a lingering trace of unidentifiable magic, and the slow, still-continuing disappearance of stars from the sky. Everything had seemed so hopeless, no chance, no way for the wrong to be put to rights, for some hope to be seen in this hour of darkest despair.

So that…that was why they were taking this action now. Even after two weeks of questioning, the prisoners had given no explanation for their obvious involvement. They could not produce a reason for the Prince's disappearance, nor could they find an excuse for their own actions and motives. None that could be believed or trusted. All that was known was the fact that they, in a very direct way, were responsible for what—as everyone seemed to feel in their hearts—was the death of their Prince.

That was why…

It was mid-afternoon, but none could discern this as they stood in the courtyard of the castle, the rolling clouds above black and heavy, obscuring the sun that had been absent for days upon days. The white, many-tiered structure itself seemed dimmer, its elegant lines more shallow, seeming to hang heavy in the weighted air. Its colors were faded, almost, the blue of the towers reduced to an old, worn appearance when they were normally bright and glistening. Below, every being from the city that could fit on the grounds was there, crowded behind sturdy rope and wood divides. Knights in full ceremonial armor were placed along the dirt path, both to keep the rabble at bay and prevent the prisoners from escaping as they walked past.

There were bets going on amongst the seedier civilians as to what would happen first: a mob-powered lynching of the accused, or a frantic, utterly futile escape attempt.

As tensions and anticipation grew to almost unmanageable heights in the courtyard, a different kind of anxiety was growing within the castle. A troop of a dozen of the most accomplished knights accompanied the highest ranked court wizard, he being the only being on the planet who could undue the magic seal on the prisoners' door. As they neared it, even the most stalwart guards tightened their grip on their weapons, eyes keen and bodies ready.

It was the highest security cell in the kingdom, contained deep within the bowels of the palace. There were no windows of any kind, air circulated through by tiny holes in the top of the walls, sealed magically so that, if a prisoner was capable of shape-shifting, they could not escape through them. The door itself was wider than average, arched in a curved pattern, runes and symbols carved into the wall around it. Its surface also carried many magic designs, twisting and turning and twining around each other, the bright, iridescent markings actually moving on their own, even going so far as to change color as the magic continually recreated itself, preventing any tampering of the seal.

Only Duncan Duck, the most powerful magic-user in the land and one of King Matthew Mouse's most loyal and closest friends, knew how to remove the binding spell. They had been forced to seal the door with a spell rather than an actual lock, considering the identities of Prince Mickey's murderers.

They were both Keyblade Masters as well.

Many knew the Keybearer legend. The majority preferred to immerse themselves in the brighter half of the tale, reveling in the heroic exploits of a past Bearer who saved worlds. But, just as all knew of the light, they too knew of the darkness. Bearers had destroyed worlds as well, and brought ruin upon the peoples of the Light. They could be terrible, doom-callers that stole the lives of many.

They _had _to be ones such, for what other kind of creature could cause the loss of their beloved Prince and yet still wield a weapon of power?

White-feathered brows furrowed in concentration, Duncan placed the tip of his silverwood, Wizard's Realm wand on the very center symbol of the door, tracing a shining white line down to bisect several special characters. As he passed through each one—a star, a moon, a sun, a comet, and the crest of the realm—the designs split apart, horizontal pillars of stone pulling aside at the same time. In the end, both halves of the door had been absorbed into the frame, leaving the way into the cell clear.

Calmly nodding to Duncan, the Captain of the Royal Knights, Gloria, took the fore position, her deadly Hero's Realm halberd at the ready while her droopy years pricked forward to catch the slightest sound. Surprisingly, there was the smallest orb of pale blue light within the cell, magically produced when magic should not have even been possible.

Especially considering both prisoners had glass-like, deep purple shackles around their wrists, formed of energy and loose enough to allow movement around the room, but not within five feet of the door. Even more than that, they were supposed to prevent magic use of any kind, the first of many defenses within the cell itself. Others included sound circles embedded in the walls, which recorded the words they spoke to each other, transmitting them to Duncan's crystal ball in the observatory. Not that it had been of much use.

Being Keyblade Masters, they had simply switched the languages they spoke in, somehow aware when he was close to deciphering one.

Narrowing her chocolate brown eyes at the sphere, Gloria walked to the center of the room, looking back and forth at the opposite walls to which the prisoners were chained. "Explain this."

"I'm sorry, but I don't like the dark," the younger one said softly, smiling an apologetic smile that no one could bring themselves to believe. "I had to make something."

"But how?" Duncan had to ask, a tad angrily. No being had _ever _been able to produce a spell within this space. Not even he could use magic once he stepped within, which was why he remained at the door.

"Well, it was really tough," he began, but the other boy interrupted him, saying several quick words in a language none of them could understand. Once the exchange was over, the brown-haired one glanced at them askance, an unreadable expression in the deep, sapphire blue depths of his eyes. Young eyes, and yet not, full of experience and pain and sorrow, as well as the greatest strength to be found in overcoming the greatest darkness.

It was hard to believe that one such as he could have committed the atrocity that he had.

The silver-haired teen, appearing to be older by about a year, spoke up then, maturing voice smooth and even. "You came here for a reason. What is it?"

"Your punishments have been decided," Gloria said at once, meeting what might have been a glare with her own dark gaze. "You are to come with us."

"Fine," he replied at once, all unruffled calm. He got easily to his feet, the blindfold over his eyes not seeming to hinder him in the least. Upon their capture, they had been searched, of course, but he had fought like a demon out of the fiery depths to keep the obstruction over his eyes, unrelenting until Duncan had promised that it would be returned. That was a great mercy to Gloria's eyes, one that she believed was undeserved.

But many had wondered as to the reason for his vehement protection of his blindfold and what lay hidden under his always closed lids.

The younger boy stood as well, just as calm as his companion. He seemed the more innocent of the pair, but not always. They both appeared to have equal amounts of youth and age in them, signs of hard, desperate battle very early in their lives, and yet a time of happiness afterward that restored a little of what had been lost.

And yet…they had…

Gloria covered the silver-haired Bearer, while her trusted lieutenant took his companion. She tapped the energy chains with the tip of her extended halberd, a sound like chimes flitting through the air as there came an abrupt flash and shifting of energies. At once, his wrist and ankles alone carried the shackles, loose enough for him to walk but still tight enough to prevent him from attacking. Behind her, Gloria heard the same sound and knew the same had been done to the second boy. Motioning for him to walk, the other Knights cleared the way as the two prisoners were led—surrounded on all sides—through the winding, dimly-lit corridors of the castle, out through the main hall, and onto the grounds.

At once, a great cry rose from the masses, a wailing roar that was an even mix of grief and the purest anger. Both boys flinched beneath the barrage, though the silver-haired one not as much. Their names were called again and again, the mantra almost a death knoll that thundered through the oppressive air and into the furious heavens above.

Although, these were not the prisoners' true names. In the weeks that they had been in custody, not once had they given their names. This had been one of the main accusations against them.

If they were innocent, what reason did they have to hide who they were? Their Keyblades hadn't even been seen again since the Bearers had been found at the scene of the crime, even though there had been several hours between their capture and the placement of the chains upon their bodies and their hearts. They could have at least attempted to escape, yet they had not.

It was another damaging fact against them: why stay, when so many were against them? When they knew what would be their eventual fate?

With so many unknowns, the court had given them designations, as they needed something to place on the Records.

_"Kakios, Kakios, Kakios," _the masses jeered at the silver-haired one, sobs and screams of fury accompany each call, just as they did to the cries of, _"Athanasios, Athanasios, Athanasios," _to the younger teen.

The names were titles of legend, fabled to have been given to twin brothers who had been born Keyblade Masters in times long ago. Their futures had been bright enough in the beginning, but the pair had turned towards the darkness, seeking power and the void over truth and the light. They had wrought destruction upon many, many worlds, until the day—or so it was said—that an ancient ancestor of the King's own line defeated them with his own bestowed Key, casting their darkness-washed weapons back into the Heart of All Worlds until they could be purified and called forth once again.

It seemed now as though that effort had been wasted. Here again were those twisted by darkness, though now none remained to take from them the tools of light they had tainted.

So this…this was the only way.

They were led to the raised gallows at the center of the courtyard, the almost ancient devices brought forth once again for a purpose that had been nearly non-existent in their civilized, peaceful kingdom. Peaceful, until this had occurred. Much time had been spent, scared and devastated officials without direction, lost now that the Prince was gone and his parents still journeying on the other side of the planet. Messengers had been sent, but none had returned and, in lost desperation, this recourse had been chosen.

The masses seemed to desire it with an intensity that bordered on madness, as evident by their screaming voices and the hatred that was almost palpable in the air.

The silver-haired one was first, his partially hidden expression stony as he stood, immovable as a mountain, the noose slipped over his head by a cautious, trembling guard. It could be supposed that the warrior was trembling from fear, or from anticipation, or even both in equal amounts. Gloria would have done this herself, but she was securing the area around the gallows, holding back the crowd by sheer force of will, her heart steeling itself for what she was about to see.

Though she knew they deserved it, a part of her would never find happiness in death.

The other boy was next, eyes downcast and full of shadow. He looked so young…too young. Too vulnerable, too unlike what everyone _knew _him to be. It almost made the people even angrier, their abhorrence of him seeming to grow as he so obviously lied to them, untruth in the very lines of his body. Shouts of "Yes, _yes_!" rose as a rope was secured around his neck as well, the second guard pulling it taunt and not seeming to care about the jerk of the teen's body, the small, scared inhale of breath and the clenching of his bound hands before him.

His companion, however, caught every movement and murmured a few worlds only they could hear, his voice calm and gentle, yet full of a regret that, had Gloria and Duncan been able to hear it, the faint traces of their own doubt would have grown and been amplified.

"It'll be okay, Sora. We knew what we had to do."

As he spoke, lightning flashed once more in the darkened heavens above and the first tears of the sky began to descend, the executioner placing his hand on the switch release, ready to drop the wooden planks out from under them and end this hellish nightmare of guilt and accusation and loss that could not be borne. Just before that final moment, the younger boy, Sora, whispered in reply, eyes falling shut.

"I know, Riku, I know. But I wish…I wish it didn't have to be like this. I wish…we hadn't won."

"…me, too."

And then the executioner's hand fell.


	2. A Sun to Shine

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AN: Greetings! I hath returned with…TEH FIRST CHAPTER. Which is nice, ne? I warn you now, though, this chapter is funky. First, it's nearly pointless. There's plot…but not much. Second, there are some things mentioned (coughcertainconsolescough) that don't make sense…but I assure you, they will…eventually. Also, why describe all the clothing and such? That will also make sense…eventually. But mainly, this chapter is nearly pointless. Though why have it…?

Because they deserved a little happiness. That is all.

Reviews!

**Arccy: **Why thank you! And whoo, first review! You might get a priiiiiiize…

**ShadowKunai: **Alas, my schedule does not lend itself to beta reading. Sorry!

**Ginger: **Heh, I'll probably be writing this all though college. ;D

**Squeak: **…first chapter and already you're picking my brain. HOW DO YOU DO IT? But I'm evil so I'm not telling you what you picked my brain about, besides the citrus… XD

**The Silent One from Underhill: **As I said last chapter, I don't take requests, so sorry, but no dice. If I don't stick with my outline, things get nasty, ya know? Thanks for the compliments, though. :)

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Reign of Dreams

By

Rem-chan

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"Still round the corner there may wait

A new road or a secret gate;

And though I oft have passed them by,

A day will come at last when I

Shall take the hidden paths that run

West of the Moon, East of the Sun."

…Frodo Baggins, _The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King_

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Book I

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"You Say There is No Tomorrow?"

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Chapter I: A Sun to Shine

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One Month Earlier…

It was bright and sunny. It seemed as though it had been bright and sunny for days and days on end. Hardly had there been a moment when the endless sky above had been obscured by clouds. Oh, of course there were storms from time to time—or months on end, considering this _was _a tropical island chain. In fact, the weather went quite naturally, having moments of fog and rain and the occasional typhoon, like the one a few months ago that had utterly leveled the seaside shack.

But that didn't matter. To Kairi, every day was bright and beautiful. Months and months of bliss, of a happiness unlike any she had ever known. She had celebrated her eighteenth birthday only a week ago, the party moving hastily inside as vigorous winds had come rolling in from the northwest. They had spent several hours laughing and re-baking the cake, except for Sora, who had eaten the previous, now sand-encrusted convection on a dare. Once done baking, they had spent the rest of the evening laughing and consoling Sora through the bathroom door.

Ever since that day, her two closest and dearest friends had been on a do or die vendetta against each other. It was becoming quite funny, as today easily proved.

"Riku…?"

"Yes, Kairi, I know," the silver-haired nineteen year-old growled under his breath, politely moving aside as Kairi stepped through Sora's front door. "Sora is in the back, but his parents are out right now. Do you need anything?"

"Uh, I came to ask if you wanted to visit Requiem Island tomorrow," Kairi stated a little awkwardly, trying not to stare at Riku. "The…the trees have finished blooming, so the scythe beetles should be gone. We…erm, we haven't been in months and…and…"

At last, it was far too much for Kairi. She burst into peals of laughter, nearly falling to her knees as Riku just stood there, feather duster still in hand. He had been cleaning off the umbrella case near the front door, looking quite miserable in his…dress. It seemed as though Riku had lost the latest bet, since the teen normally wouldn't have been caught dead in a maid's uniform, complete with frilly hat and petticoats. And real pantyhose, by the looks of things. But, even more than that…

"Riku…are those cat ears?"

"Yes, they are," Riku replied, turquoise eyes burning and, behind him, a silver cat's tail to match the ears lashed back and forth, poking out from under his dress. "I'm going to KILL Donald for teaching Sora that spell."

Kairi couldn't help her grin as, even furious as he was, Riku looked absolutely adorable. Silently, she had to applaud Sora's creativity. "But…couldn't you at least neutralize the magic? I mean, since both of you are…"

"Of course I could!" Riku exclaimed indignantly, absentmindedly returning to his dusting with an experienced flair. While he might have been totally disgusted with his appearance, Riku wasn't one to skimp out on anything he was asked to do. "But I lost the bet fair and square, so I have to do this for a week."

"What, be a maid?"

"Uh…well…"

"It's basically along the lines of my own personal slave," came the lighthearted, if somewhat haughty answer, this time from Sora as he emerged from a door down the hall. He was wearing a simple pair of beige cargo shorts and a bright red, hooded shirt, looking quite smug as he rubbed a towel over his wet hair. He _still _hadn't cut the mass, and, while the front spiked just as much as ever, the back was beginning to lay down quite neatly as it traveled to shoulder length. At one point, Riku had told him that he was threatening to grow something that closely resembled a mullet; Sora had chosen not to answer. At least, not with words, preferring several well-thrown household items. "It gives Anima and Animus a break, anyway."

"So…what was the bet?" Kairi just _had _to ask, trying not to smile as Sora gestured at Riku to continue, barely paying the older boy any mind as Riku grumbled, glared pure hatred, and went back to work. By the stars…the two of them were so _cute_. Kairi was certain she was going to kill over from the sweetness of it all; she got out of bed of a day mainly to see what the two most important people in her world would do next.

"It was silly, really," Sora answered, a gleam in his eyes as he glanced sideways at Riku, who was dusting with such vehemence that feathers were starting to float through the air. "He bet that I wouldn't be able to actually _do _the spell."

"Ah…," Kairi mumbled, trying to sound non-committal while still watching Riku. His temporary ears were laid back on his skull and his tail was currently going nuts, which said more than his stony expression.

"He might be able to overpower my magic most to the time, but transformation spells seem to be totally beyond him," Sora said happily, patting Riku on the shoulder and grinning almost maniacally. "Which means that _I_ have the powMMMFFF!"

The Keyblade Master of Souls' sentence was cut off as he got a feather duster in the face, Riku looking very smug in his little cap as he turned to Kairi. "So…Requiem Island? That sounds nice, and I'm sure Anima and Animus would love to go."

"Where are they, by the way?"

"Upstairs, playing Sora's PS2," Riku replied, making a lazy gesture in that general direction. It changed mid-air, Riku's hand now gripping something that took a moment to materialize, the black/white hilt of his own Kingdom Key phasing into view. Glowing faintly, the light rushed over him for a few seconds, small sparks flying off in several places. After a moment, it faded, leaving Riku in much more normal clothing, long, dark pants and a navy blue tank shirt, although…the cat ears and tail remained. However, Riku came to the decision that he just wouldn't care and continued. "Animus won't stop challenging Anima until he can beat her in Soul Caliber II. So far, he's lost ninety-seven times. But I'm not complaining. At least she finally let him win in DDR; watching them was getting a little…disturbing."

"Will it be all right if we interrupt them?"

"Aww, they'll jump at the chance to go through the Keep again," Sora suddenly spoke up, now recovered and removing the last feather from his mouth. He didn't seem angry at all at what Riku had done, or that he had changed mainly back to normal. That was just how their relationship was and, besides, they would no doubt get back to it again as soon as they came home. A part of Kairi was already cheering with anticipation. "So…tomorrow?"

Taking a moment to glance back and forth between her two dearest friends, Kairi felt again that so poignant sense of absolute peace, so full and wonderful that it almost couldn't be real. Even months, _years_ after the fact, the truth of their success, their victory, and their return still managed to coil inside her heart and burst free, bright and joyous. Here they were, home again and _whole_, each of them carrying scars but made all the more beautiful by them, and thankful. Sora and Riku were still Keybearers, and they were called from time to time to aid those in need, but those instances were so few and so simple…patches of darkness left unhealed, rouge Soulless that had wandered clear of Sora's influence, the tiny reemergence of the Heartless…

Now, Kairi was aware the Heartless _were _something to be concerned over, but hadn't Anima and Animus said that their kind would reappear as time passed, regardless of what they did? Heartless would always exist, as long as darkness lingered in the hearts of all living beings. How could anyone prevent that, when it was a matter of choice to turn from the light?

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But even so…, Kairi murmured happily in her mind, the uplifted perception of her heart far immune to lingering shadows. _Everything is right again…and I know…_

"Tomorrow, first thing after breakfast," she replied with a slanted grin, waving a finger. "You boys better be ready. You know it all depends on you in the end."

"Naturally. We _are _who we are, after all," Riku countered easily, hands behind his head, and Sora planted his palms on his hips, leaning towards her to waggle admonishing brows.

"And why would we have it any other way, Kairi? You know you can count on us."

Kairi had to laugh, the sound of it full of brightness. "Yeah, I know…always and forever…"

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…I know we'll never lose each other again.

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_"Mickey…? Are you alright? Micah is waiting in the gardens…"_

"That boy…he really does love flowers, doesn't he? Can't ask for much more in a grandson."

"…Mickey…"

"Ahh…I'm sorry, Minnie. But…it's ending. And I really did wanna see the flowers with Micah one last time…"

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Bright and early the following day, a well-sized skiff, expertly piloted by three youths from Destiny Islands, docked at the white-sanded, sloping shores of Requiem Island. The island barely had a strip of beach to make berth on, however, the massive, towering jungle so thick and high that, from a distance, it seemed as though a sheer, twisting green mountain rose up out of the gleaming ocean. The closer one became, though, the more color and extravagance could be seen, great starbursts of rainbow blooms dripping brilliant, multi-layer floral perfection from the thick boughs of the Prism Trees. The shades of the petals shifted as the days passed and the seasons changed, the flowers always present but never remaining the same. In the spring, they were every color under the rainbow, at their most beautiful in watercolor shades; however, at the start of the season, the flowers would pollinate, releasing particles that were also of many colors.

Though beautiful in their own way, these attracted a particular breed of saltwater bug called a scythe beetle, which used the cycle of Prism trees in this entire region to decide when it was time to lay their eggs. They would come, lay cocoons of a distinctive, bright silver to match their normal color, then leave, taking their dangerous habit of swarming over intruders—and just about mauling them with the bladed feet that gave the bugs their name—with them. The cocoons would not release their brood until sometime mid summer, so now, mid-spring and clear of any beetles, adult or larva, was the perfect time to visit the Keep.

The Keep; it's real name had been lost a long time ago. Either that, or people just didn't bother to find out what it was. To everyone in this island chain, it was The Keep, built some fifty years ago by a wealthy family from the mainland. They had been warned, of course, about the beetles, but, in the end…

The Keep was decidedly deserted now and an extremely popular haunt for the youth of the islands. Naturally, it was forbidden territory, Requiem Island a prime target for storms and freak whirlpools, added dangers beyond the beetles, but the trio felt—and knew—they could handle it. If they ever lost their boat, it wasn't like they couldn't make it back to land and build a new one. So, they went as they pleased, finding the great, hulking ruin of the Keep the perfect place for a particular type of activity…

"So, where do you want to start this time?" Sora asked, tightening the knot on the rope that secured their boat to a tree. He glanced up and up and up, a hand shading his eyes from the unrepentant sunlight. "We need to get back home before lunch so we can get ready for tonight…"

"Eh, I think we have time for one complete run," Riku replied with a nonchalant shrug, a daringness in his hidden eyes. Even now, he wore a blindfold, though it was getting to the point where he friends could discern what his eyes were doing, despite the cloth that covered him. They knew when they twinkled with mirth, or rolled with exasperation, or glared with that particular righteous indignation that was Riku's and Riku's alone. "Starting from the top and working our way back here."

"Scenic or shortcut?"

"Scenic, I think. I'm ready for a thrill."

"Hey, if you two are done, mind helping us out over here?" Said a slightly annoyed—though still excited—male voice, originating from a glaringly white creature leaning out of Riku's boat. "Unless you just wanna leave Kairi out of all the fun."

"It wounds me that you would even think that, Animus," Riku replied with mock sorrow, sauntering over and helping the White Shadow lift what looked like a slightly too-thin surfboard from his boat. It was slightly too thick as well, but flexible and light, the prithvi timber tougher than Bolt Drake hide yet soft to the touch. This kind of board wasn't used for much besides certain components of small ships, but in Kairi's case…the simple, off-white slab just a hair longer than she was tall was just perfect. "How are you doing, Anima? The sun not bothering you today?"

"I am fine," the Black Shadow replied calmly from where she stood on the lip of the skiff, deep golden eyes gazing out to sea. One would think that her weight would tip the boat, but she—and Animus—never seemed to weight any more than air, or stars. "It is…nice today. A good day for this. The stars…they seem to be happy, Riku. Can you tell?"

Riku stared at her a moment, then tilted his head back to look at the sky. For a moment, there was only blueness, vast and unrepentant, seen by him through the protective illusion of his blindfold. Yet, when he concentrated…or rather, when he let his consciousness slip away, an older, newer calmness seeping into his heart, he looked _past _the sky, past the illusion of reality and boundaries. It was there that he saw the twinkling brightness amidst a sea of singing black, a happy darkness dotted with joyful stars. There were flashes of color here and there, of individuality, but Riku hadn't advanced far enough to truly see them yet, at least according to his two 'followers'.

"Yeah…happy," Riku murmured with a smile, resuming his actions a second later and handing Kairi her board. "And here I thought the festival was just for business."

"We'll just have to see and hear what we can later tonight then, eh?" Sora commented, pulling back his longer hair into a tight tail at the base of his neck. Tucking the tails of his shirt into his shorts, he did a few preparatory stretches, an odd glow phasing around his shoulders as he did so. Once done, he offered a gallant hand to Kairi. "Care for a lift, my lady?"

"Ah, ever the courteous one," Kairi replied, her eyes twinkling, hefting her board onto her back via a handy strap. She took Sora's hand, relaxing into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her. "Just don't cry like a baby when I beat you."

"That's my line," Riku remarked, but those were all the words spent between them.

A moment later, there was a rush of sound and light, feathers in shades of white and black and blue and green and gold whipping outward in a typhoon of brightness and power. From their shoulders sprung the second sign of their status as Keybearers, though each pair of gleaming pinions was distinctly their own. For Riku, they were black over white, each gem-like feather shining brightly in the brilliant sunlight, dark and light singing in harmony. For Sora, they were the colors of his soul, sapphire and emerald and the shine of the sun laced through white, spun like star core and shifting in iridescent waves as he moved. Together, they spread their radiant wings, the first mighty downstrokes sending sand and surf in all directions, the flung curtain of glass-like grains and pearlescent droplets flashing a succinct rainbow in the immaculate air.

As one, they shot towards the sky, catching the warm updrafts that wafted happily over the island. Riku—Anima and Animus clinging to each of his arms—spun sideways and upwards, his laugh rich and challenging, his short, wild silver hair flaring like a beacon in the sun. Not to be outdone, Sora sent a blast of wind magic below him, the added force propelling him past Riku and above the highest line of emerald and color-dappled trees. His eyes instantly found their destination, the crooked, protruding attic tower of the Keep thick with vegetation, but still recognizable. Tightening his grip on Kairi, he threw his weight forward, stretching his body horizontal and snapping his wings out, then back in, slipping into an elegant, practiced dive.

"Showing off takes up time, you know!" Riku commented with a laugh as he rocketed past, wings beating rapidly to propel himself forward, arms straight at his sides while the two Heartless clung to his back for dear life. "See ya at the bottom, slowpokes!"

A second later he was gone, shooting into the wide window at the top of the tower. Sora was nonplussed, however, and followed after, keeping his wings folded against his body and Kairi secure in his arms as he spun and dived within, shadows closing in around him as he did so. All was darkness as his eyes adjusted, but the cavernous space took form as they descended, crossbeams and twining stairs and huge, ornate lamps leaping out into their path. Sora knew them all, twisting and swerving and banking at breakneck speed, the vines and ephemeral flowers that threaded throughout the structure brushing like welcoming fingers over his skin, through his hair, and across his clothing.

"Hey, Riku!" Sora called ahead as he spotted his friend, twisting around one particularly flamboyant metal spiral staircase, taking the time to land a blow on it with his foot that sent chiming, discordant—yet strangely harmonious—sounds through the tower. "You look better from behind!"

"Shove it, Sora!" Came the laughing reply, Riku throwing his wings wide as they reached the bottom, using the change in weight to swerve into one of the many high, arched doors that ringed the floor of the tower.

"HAH!" Sora managed to yell at his rapidly disappearing form before choosing a doorway himself, cutting to an opposite side and ducking below a canopy of fauna.

They emerged into one of the wide, echoing main corridors, faded paintings and crumbling furniture bright and joyous under their flowered crowns, sunlight filtering through the patched roof and the curtain of leaves above it. Here and there a thick, gleaming trunk or branch thrust through a floor or wall, dripping with elegant blossoms and brightly colored birds, tiny furred creatures staring with wide, dark eyes as Sora and Kairi blew past. The great house creaked and groaned and sighed all around them, seeming to breathe the warm, rich air, taking in their laughs and smiles while Sora expertly navigated the labyrinthine confines without losing an iota of speed. They would need that momentum, after all.

"You ready, Kairi?" Sora asked with his trademark smile, not needing to look down to know that she returned it.

"What do you think?" She said in reply, one hand going to the strap of her board. "See you at the bottom."

"Naturally."

Just those few words and Kairi was suddenly flung clear of Sora, the pair of them flying out into the main hall, the space greater in size than all of Destiny Islands. Great trees wider than Sora was tall stood and twisted and proclaimed their presence with ageless wonder, a veritable wall of tiny, sparkling white birds streaking around them like the glorious shards of stars. It was the bulking, rolling branches, however, that concerned them most, Kairi flipping 'round as she fell to orient herself and slide her board beneath her feet. At the same time, Sora threw out his hand, white and silver and gold flaring into his palm as the Kingdom Keyblade flared into existence.

"Float!" He shouted, pointing it towards Kairi and, incidentally, her board.

And float she did, the newly learned spell doing its job well as Kairi landed hard against one of the thick branches. She twisted her body expertly, weight firmly on the board, and literally surfed down the sturdy, moss-covered surface, hair blowing back and her laughter cutting joyously through the air. Perhaps it was dangerous…but Sora was there, right beside her, wings beating and Keyblade returned to its proper place. He never got tired of this, never wanted it to stop.

Watching her, seeing her smile, the wind in their hair, leaves brushing across their skin, the rush and thrill as he cut and dived through the branches, Kairi flitting in and out of his sight, never wavering because she was Kairi and Kairi never fell. Kairi was Kairi and with her was where forever was, and he didn't care if that sounded overly romantic…because it was true. Very few would understand, but he had almost lost her, almost lost everything but she, she and Riku and those closest to him had come to him. Saved him. Protected him. Trusted and believed in him and had been waiting for him as he came back from that high place, a true Keybearer at last.

But did all of that stuff matter as much as her smile, or Riku's laugh, or his mother's cooking? No, no…home was what mattered and even if some things from his journey—changes, responsibilities, scars—would never go away, home was where he would stay.

"Better go faster, Sora!" Kairi called from ahead of him, voice light and lovely, a flash of red hair teasing him as she ducked into a thick tangle of leaves and flowers. Too small for him to follow…but he knew his way.

"Can do, Kairi!" He called back and pumped his wings harder, power and lightness surging through him.

He knew magic had to be involved. His body was too heavy, his bones too thick for wings of this size to carry him…yet he could go faster as he wished, twirl and dive and hover as needed. It was a small thing to dodge at the last second, swerving around a trunk and dropping down into a hole in the floor of the massive hall. How simple it was, winging his way through the shadows, walls and doors and eyes and sounds and smells whispering past him at impossible speeds. He was alone now, split from the others…and yet Sora couldn't have been happier, because this was familiar and he could do it and it felt _right_.

But it always ended and that was the best part. Sora could just make it out ahead, the spot of brilliant sunlight. His final burst of speed brought him there, leaves and petals and feathers and droplets from the nearby waterfall flinging outward as he shot free of the Keep, wings spread to catch the golden light. He was smiling, of course, a grin so wide and full he felt like it would break his face in half, but then, it was always like that. Every time, since they'd first dared to try this a year and a half ago, he grinned, wondering if someone could go on feeling like this forever and really, really hoping it was so.

Especially since Kairi was there, bursting free of the trees a ways up from him, her momentum propelling her high into the air. As he watched, she rolled, flipping her board onto her back once more, and she caught his eyes, her smile matching his own, her laugh calling to him. So he obliged and was suddenly there, catching her in his arms, diving, dropping, getting _so close_ to the water but rising again, as he always would. And Riku was suddenly there, too, catching a pair of Heartless as they shot out of the foliage, light and dark power more than enough in the place of wings and spells. They were all back together again and, mischief flashing in his eyes, Sora swooped low, depositing his cargo into the sun-warmed saltwater amidst her squeals and shrieks of affront.

He didn't expect it when she latched onto his leg, dragging him down along with her.

"Hey, Kair—!" Sora sputtered, head going under as he hastily withdrew his wings. He kicked back up, tossing his head back and forth to free his eyes of his sopping hair. "No fair!"

Kairi only giggled, splashing a goodly amount of water at him. "You started it, Sora! You should know better!"

"Bah, I fear no challenge!" Sora gleefully shot back, arms wind-milling in the water.

"Eeeek!"

Hovering above them, black/white wings spread and still, Riku only lifted a brow, shaking his head sadly. "I swear, no dignity…"

Anima and Animus were silent for a moment, hanging placidly from his arms…then they shared at secret glance and lunged, tickling mercilessly at his ribs. Sadly, though Riku would refuse to admit it until his dying day, he was woefully ticklish. So down into the water they went, Riku sputtering and flailing, shouting promises of deadly retribution and divine anger, while Anima only smiled and Animus roared with laughter.

And lo, it was a normal afternoon for the universes' resident Keybearers and those close to them. Perfect…almost too perfect to be real.

****

……………

__

"Mickey! Oh, Mickey, I have wonderful news! The baby's been born…Matthias is calling him Micah…"

"That's great, Minnie! Just…wonderful…but…you already know what I'm going to say…"

"…yes…yes, I know…it's time for now to go, too, isn't it…?"

"…yeah."

****

……………

"Kairi…are you ready yet?" Sora asked for what felt like the twelfth time later that day, unable to keep a hint of impatience from seeping into his voice. Honestly, why did women always have to make their men wait for them? Was it union rules, or something? "Riku will be here any minute!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Just gimme one more minute!"

"Oh, fine…," Sora grumbled, almost certain he had heard a giggle coming from farther up the stairs.

He thought about frowning, but faintly recalled being told when he was a child that his face might get stuck that way. And, besides, he had done enough frowning and moping before this to last a lifetime. So, instead, he settled on looking distantly but politely bored, absentmindedly tugging at his clothing. He normally didn't wear this outfit, so it didn't fit quite as comfortably as the rest of his wardrobe. But then, not every day was the Spring Star Festival; rather, the most coveted holiday in this region of the world came but once a year, mid-spring when merchant ships came in and agricultural work tapered off for a few weeks. It wasn't so much religious as it was simply a time of celebration, most notably for whatever wishes you wanted to have granted for the coming year. Whether in love, business, family, or overall, people gathered from all around to attend the festivities and have an all around good time. A different island played host each year and, this time, it was their own home town that hosted the events.

Naturally, this had made it an almost mandatory destination for all the young couples that lived here. So, after much hesitation, sweating, and teasing from Riku, Sora had asked Kairi to accompany him. Which was why Sora was currently wearing what he was. Although, he rather liked the rich, faintly iridescent crimson color of the smooth, water-resistant fabric of his long, sleeveless overjacket, it's slanted hems curving just so around his knees. It was the tailored white slacks that were giving him a little trouble—as he had gotten used to looser, baggier pants—as well as the sleek black shoes he was wearing; honestly, he couldn't remember the last time he had tied laces, much less these kind of tiny, thin ones. The two wide, tightly-woven ropes of glittering gold he wore slung over his shoulder, slanting across his chest like a sash were purely ornamental, matching the small, star-shaped buttons that ran down from his high collar to his waist. Normally, they went all the way up to the bottom of his jaw, but that made the neck a little too tight for him, hence keeping the top two unbuttoned. His longer hair was kept back in a modest tail, his bangs neatly combed and kept in line with a generous amount of gel. Lastly, a third length of rope crisscrossed up his right arm, the two tasseled ends tied around his wrists complete with a single white bell each.

The bells and rope were tradition, actually, a joining of both the holiday and their islander ways. Rope was paramount in their lives, from the rigging on ships to the security lines tied around young children first learning how to swim. It was like the symbol of their lives, more so than ships themselves or the sea. The bells, particularly delicate and always made of white or silver-tinged metal, represented the stars for which the festival was celebrated. After all, if one wanted a wish granted, they always wished upon a star.

Thinking of it, Sora was reminded of the paopu tree and talk of intertwined destinies. Stars for wishes, stars for promises, stars for hearts…how close the perceptions came, all containing their own kind of truth. Considering what he had learned in all his time wielding the Keyblade, Sora could only wonder just how much of it had reality backing it up. He certainly could believe in a lot of things…

"Okay, I'm ready!"

All metaphysical thoughts quickly left for the darker regions of Sora's mind as he turned, looked up the stairs, and beheld the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Thing…goddess…girl…yeah, girl. He distantly supposed Kairi had had good reason to take so long, if the end result was this. A vision out of a dream was slowing stepping down towards him, ethereal, gleaming white fabric floating around her. Kairi's dress was actually pretty simple, sleeveless with a scoop neck and waved, billowing hems swirling like water just past mid-thigh. A gauzy, glittering scarf of a material that seemed to be lighter than air and tinted the faintest purple was twined around each arm, and draped gracefully behind her shoulders. Her mid-back length hair was completely loose, but she had styled it somehow, making it so that gleaming, elegant waves flowed out behind her as she moved, framing her beautiful, smiling face. Finally, besides the simple white sandals on her feet, was the almost-sash slanting loosely around her waist, consisting of a single thin, double-wrapped length of white rope, its two tasseled ends supporting bells identical to his own.

"So…," she asked cheerfully as she came to stand next to him and twirled once, her sapphire eyes bright and happy. "What do you think?"

"Um…uh…ah…"

She stopped moving and smiled, raising one slender hand to give him a friendly poke in the cheek. "What's that, Sora? Seagull got your tongue?"

"…uh…"

"I would say that's a yes, Kairi."

"Oh, hi Riku! You're right on time."

Kairi's cheerful wave managed to break the hypnotic spell that had turned Sora into a drooling idiot. Or more of one, anyway. Blinking away what felt like a serious bout of vertigo, Sora turned to greet his friend. The Keyblade Master of Souls was good at recovering, at least, and he grinned at his silver-haired counterpart.

"Well, Riku, still haven't discovered knocking, eh?

"Maybe you were just rendered deaf by something," Riku replied easily with a trademark smirk, belying his laughing eyes. Although, it wasn't like anyone could see his eyes… "I did knock; Kairi's dad let me in."

"Ah," Kairi commented and glanced down, seeing the telltale finger outlines on Riku's hand. "Got the handshake of death, didn't you?"

"Oh yes," was the answer. "And I'm not even your date."

Sora groaned dramatically at that, holding his right wrist and making a face. "_Kaaaaiiiirrrriiiiii_…it huuuurrrttts. Kiss it better?"

"Baby…," Kairi said with a laugh, but dutifully took Sora's 'injured' hand and planted a small kiss right on his knuckles. Then, she gave him an inquisitive look. "Hmm, isn't it the guy who's supposed to kiss the girl on the hand?"

Sora looked suitably aggrieved. "Aww, but it was more fun this way!"

"Fun for you, maybe."

"Isn't that the point?"

"Okay, we get the picture, you two. Let's get going, before I choke in this," Riku told them, voice pained.

Sora could understand. Like himself, Riku was wearing something not normally worn, which bothered his friend to no end. Like Sora, he wore a sleeveless, high-collared top, but the sharply slanted hems were of normal length, curving just above his hips. Its color was a deep, deep blue, glittering subtlety like the night sky, its inner azure and indigo shades brought out by the solid black of Riku's tailored pants. The vest was unusual, however, as its flaps did not meet; rather, a silky white shirt was visible underneath. Over it crisscrossed the signature golden rope, looped through holes made expressly for that purpose in the vest. It went all the way up to his neck, and actually wrapped around a few times, the ends dangling behind him, so that the bells chimed ever time they hit his back. The look was completed by slick, polished seaman's boots that reached his knees, black to match the pants; lastly, there were the modest, suave, swept-back locks of his short silver hair, and the second golden rope crisscrossing up his right arm.

He looked very traditional, if a tad uncomfortable.

"You're just jealous I got a kiss," Sora countered, sticking his tongue out at him.

"Maybe I am…," Riku began and an evil gleam came into his eye. "Let's see…if I can get a kiss before the night's over, you have to be _my _personal slave for a week."

A challenging grin instantly broke out on Sora's face. "Okay, but if I win, you have to do what ANIMUS says for a week."

Riku looked a little sick at that. As much as he cared for the Heartless that now followed him around nearly all the time, Animus could still be a bit…much. His energy level and overall hyperactive personality came from being the lighter side of the Heartless, whereas Anima's cool and collected head came from the darker side. And, while Anima was the epitome of pleasant company and intelligent conversation resource, Animus could be a party animal if he wanted to. Which he did most of the time. Hence, if Riku were to give into every one of the White Shadow's whims, things might get hairy.

Seeing his friend's hesitation, a slow, sadistic grin spread over his face. "What's the matter, Riku? Are you…scared?"

At that, Riku's gaze turned steely, deadly resolve swarming out and smacking Sora square in the face. "Not by a longshot. You're on, Sora."

The sealed it with a handshake, both looking as though they were trying to break the other's hand. Kairi only shook her head in an exasperated manner, a long-suffering look on her face, though her eyes laughed. She placed her hands on their shoulders, inserting herself between them.

"Well, if you two are finished posturing, let's see if we can get to the festival on time. You know how Tidus complains when we're late."

"I doubt he'll be complaining much tonight," Sora commented with a roll of his eyes, pulling open the door for Kairi as she waved a good-bye to her father. "He's going to the festival with Yuna, remember? They'll be making gooey eyes at each other for the majority of the night."

"Why just the majority?" Riku asked as they walked down the modest stairs to the street, the wooden planks set into the ground thunking softly beneath their footwear. "Why not _all _night?"

Sora just rolled his eyes again, letting Riku walk ahead of them as he and Kairi looped their arms together. It had become so natural to all of them that they didn't notice these patterns. "Because as soon as they get a moment alone together they're gonna start some spit swap—OW!"

"Have some manners, Sora," Kairi admonished, her free hand poised for another smack.

"Don't hurt me!" Sora squealed, cringing, then smiled, eyes twinkling. "Actually, Tidus told me the other day that he intends to propose to her once he's finished the pro's exam and been accepted onto a team."

"He's that confident, huh?" Riku commented, glancing back at them. "Well, I don't blame him. I don't like to admit it, but he kicked my butt in the last Blitz practice we had."

"That's because he practices like he means it," Kairi told him, wagging her finger. "Unlike the two of you lazy bums, he's got plans for himself."

"Hey, I've got plans!" Sora protested, but, when Kairi gave him a look, he turned his gaze away. There was a hint of seriousness in his voice now, just as there had been in Kairi's. "Or I'd like to, anyway. But it's…kinda hard, you know?"

There was a silence between them then, laced with understanding. They weren't children anymore; Riku would be turning twenty next summer, after all, and Sora and Kairi were only a year behind. It had been something of a trial, catching up on their education, but they were where they were supposed to be…not that that necessarily meant they knew what they were going to actually _do_. The three of them, Sora and Riku most especially, had lost the precious years of planning and preparation, the time when they were supposed to decide for themselves what they wanted in their futures.

Instead, they had been thrust into responsibilities and conflicts that had almost destroyed them and, though they had returned triumphant, they were still without what they wanted most: normalcy. Normalcy, and the lives they would have had…

So, after a moment of deep silence between them, Kairi let it drop, not wanting to detract from this night. Instead, she offered them a small, hopeful smile, her grip tightening ever-so-slightly on Sora's arm. "Yeah, I know…so let's worry about it later, okay? Tonight is a night of celebration, after all."

It only took a few seconds for their smiles to return, though Kairi secretly knew they were slightly forced. Still, smiles they were and, together, they continued on towards the festival grounds, pushing all thoughts of the future from their minds.

****

……………

__

"Mickey…is it really going to end…? Matthias…I only just got to hold him in my arms…"

"I'm so sorry, Minnie…but I can't do anything anymore."

"So…he's already gone?"

"Yeah…they'll have to find him if there's going to be any hope."

****

……………

_…they seriously need to raise the legal drinking age around here_, Kairi mused to herself as she quietly retrieved a blanket from a local store, laying it carefully over Selphie. Her friend didn't look much the worse for wear, besides the fact that she was out cold. It really hadn't been that much; Selphie just didn't appear to have any tolerance at all, which would probably detract her from trying this again.

Kairi herself had been content to simply sit at a table near the back of the huge festival grounds, the vendors and various attractions at the far end of the wide field, entertainment and food more at this side of things. It was more than late, she knew, as dawn was giving a hint of color to the horizon…and Riku was getting desperate.

"Come on, Tidus! I don't mean anything by it, I just can't let Sora win!" Riku whined uncharacteristically to his blond-haired friend, the young Blitzball player giving him a stony look.

"…not a chance, Riku," Tidus said, a protective arm around the slender young woman at his side, though Yuna was simply looking amused, rather than upset in any way. "I'm not letting you kiss my girlfriend, so you can just go smooch a rock!"

Riku glowered, which wasn't all that effective, considering the blindfold. At the table behind him, Sora laughed heartily, nearly falling out of his chair. "Give it up, Riku! You've been going all night and so far, no dice! This one's mine for sure."

Animus would have gloated as well, seeing as he benefited from the outcome of the bet, but he was currently curled up in Selphie's embrace, the girl looking very happy with her 'stuffed teddy', as she had called him earlier. He had proclaimed himself the 'Lord of Cotton' before promptly passing out, vaguely around the same time she did. Who knew Heartless could drink cocktails? Anima had abstained, though where she was now, Kairi didn't know.

"What's this about smooching?" A deep, somewhat cocky voice said and their little group looked over as the Mayor of their neighbor island stepped up, a little red in the face but looking dangerously coherent. Cliff Fitter could hold his drink, after all. "You know we like to keep things kosher during festivals."

Riku simply glowered more, Sora piping up in his place. "Heh, my good pal here bet that he could get a kiss before the night was up. But it looks like I'm gonna win, 'cause he scares all the girls away!"

Understandably, Riku looked like he was seriously considering knocking Sora into next week with a chair, but Sora continued on, heedless of the danger. He leaned towards Cliff, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "But, to tell you the truth…I think they're all just jealous of him. He's just too pretty!"

Cliff lifted a brow, then snorted, chuckling under his breath. "Is that so? Well, you're way more than confident, then?"

Sora offered him a wide grin. "Definitely."

Kairi pondered a bit at Cliff's second chuckle, as it sounded decidedly…evil, but she didn't have to ponder long. Straightening and smoothing the various wrinkles on his dress clothing, Cliff strode over to Riku, staring him straight in the eye. Tidus and Yuna carefully stepped clear, Tidus looking generally confused, while Yuna giggled behind her fingers. She must have known something, seeing as she was from the same island as Cliff. Selphie—and Wakka, who was snoring under a table…somewhere—didn't have anything to contribute, and Sora was looking just as confused as Tidus.

"So, kid…you don't wanna lose, right?" Cliff questioned in a serious voice.

"No, I don't," Riku answered just as seriously, no doubt sending a glare his way…nevermind the blindfold.

"Well then…you're gonna owe me for this one."

And, with that, Cliff grabbed Riku by the collar and planted a nice big smooch right on his lips.

Kairi blushed, staring.

Selphie cooed in her sleep and hugged Animus tighter.

Sora laughed so hard that _now_ he fell off his chair.

Tidus choked on his mouthful of Pina Colada.

Yuna giggled louder, clinging to Tidus for support.

Wakka snored loudly, mumbling something about his balls…which made Kairi blush more, though she knew what he was actually talking about.

Animus did the equivalent of a burp.

And Riku was so shocked he actually didn't move, standing stock still and gaping as Cliff stepped back, hands planted on his hips and a big, smug smile on his face.

"There you go! The sun ain't up yet and you got a kiss. I'll expect some thanks later, kid."

With that, he turned and sauntered off, probably to gloriously crash someone else's party. It took a while, but Sora eventually recovered, fumbling back up, still red in the face and trying to catch his breath.

"I…I guess you win, R-Riku…but _stars_, that was worth it…"

Sloooowly, Riku turned to look at his friend and, even though his eyes were hidden, they could see the righteous indignation there. "…Sora."

"Yeah?"

"As my first order during your week as my slave, I command you to kiss Wakka."

Sora went pale.

"Right now."

And, while Tidus started hacking and Yuna pounded him on the back, while Selphie murmured happily and Animus burped again, while Wakka slept on oblivious and Cliff caused a group of girls to shriek in surprise over…something, while Riku smirked and Sora looked like he was about to die, Kairi found her smile again. She sat back down, contentment coiling warmly in her chest, and sighed softly, wondering how a perfect a day could really be.

_At least…as perfect as this…_

Meanwhile, above her, perched atop the canopy of their table, Anima turned her golden eyes toward the sky and frowned.

****

……………

__

"Mickey…it's almost here…"

"I know. It'll be our turn soon…"

"Then…will they be in time?"

"I hope so. They've already been sent for, but still…I hope so."

****

……………

****

Next Chapter: The Fated Children


	3. The Fated Children

****

AN: OMG, an update! Sorry for the delay, folks, but job-hunting is getting kinda treacherous. And I wish it was just that. But no…no, my other fate is far darker and more terrible. And it need be described in only one word:

Neopets. And that is all. I am still a kinda sorry newbie and, since my computer lacks flashplayer and I am on dial-up, I may stay a newbie for a long, long time…many, many thanks to those who've helped me out so far, though.

But anyway! Chapter, right here! And I call this chapter…THE EXPOSITION CHAPTER. So don't expect too much in the way of action…

Reviews!

**Akai: **Whee, confetti! Bright colors! Squee! More random crap at 3:00am!

**Unknown Fool: **I believe it does mean that, or something along those lines, at least…although I picked it mainly 'cause it sounded cool.

**Shining Light: **Alas, once I move on to another 'big' story, the characters from the previous story take a backseat. Gotta make room for the new guys, ne?

**Aoki-chan: **Nah, Riku had gotten rid of the ears and tail by then. Which is just too bad, really…

**Star: **Hah, you _didn't_ pick my brain in that last review! Now we're tied! I shall OVERCOME YOOOOOU!

**Bokkaku: **Just to let you know, you are totally, completely off on your guesses when it comes to the italicized parts from last chapter. But don't worry. All shall be explained!

**Quatre Winner: **I don't really know how many others guessed right about Anima and Animus. Now, there were people I actually _told_…but that is another story!

**Mugendai: **Well, if _I _had spiffy wings…I would certainly use them to fly around and have fun. So why not, in the end?

……………

**__**

Reign of Dreams

By

Rem-chan

……………

"It's no big deal. Just what I always do."

…Cloud Strife, _Final Fantasy VII_

****

……………

****

Chapter II: The Fated Children

_"So, Sora…do you understand?"_

"Understand…what?"

"Everything I've been telling you. Do you understand?"

"But…you haven't told me anything."

"Oh yes I have, my boy. I've been telling you all this time. I guess you just didn't know it."

"…I'm really confused."

"Don't worry about it. It isn't time yet."

"Time…for what?"

"For what I've been telling you about."

"But you haven't told me anything!"

"Now, now, no need to get in a huff over it. I can only say it so many times, you know. Real soon, I won't be able to come here anymore. It'll have to be one of the other two, or no one at all."

"…you're not making any sense. Who **are **you?"

"Introductions were a long time ago, my boy. Or maybe they're a long time from now? I'm getting a little confused myself. It's hard to tell where I am, especially if he doesn't know where he is."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Oh come! Surely you haven't forgotten him?"

"How could I have forgotten him if I don't even know **who you're talking about?**"

"Yelling gets you nowhere, Sora. Mickey would be very disappointed if he heard you getting angry over such a small thing."

"The King…you know the King?"

"But of course. Although, you know, he doesn't like to be called that very much. Anyway, it's about time I get going, so take care of yourself, Sora, and take care of your friends. Now that I think about it, we might not see each other for a long time. That's when all the introductions will happen, I believe. There's not a lot of time left."

"Left? Before…what?"

"Before everything ends. Now…wake up."

****

……………

__

"Sora, SORA! It's PAST NOON! Wake up, already!"

Bolting upright, Sora felt an odd surge of déjà vu as his thrashing legs got caught in his sheets. His balance thrown to one side, he teetered on the edge of his bed a moment before, finally, careening over the side and tumbling to the thankfully carpeted floor. Peeling himself off the short, coarse blue fabric and yanking a stray sock out of his hair, Sora glared up in pure hatred at the object of his discomfiture. His older brother only grinned at him, identical sapphire eyes twinkling beneath stringy black bangs, Toshiro having inherited their mother's silky black tresses rather than their father's wild brown mop. However, he had their father's height, as well as almost a decade over Sora in age.

Toshiro had left the island chain for a mainland education before the calamity had occurred four years ago, thusly missing Sora's disappearance. Not that he hadn't been informed upon his own return, however. It had been quite an affair, the threesome of the long-missing Sora, Riku, and Kairi—though she hadn't been gone as long—just waltzing back into town. Sora had been rather surprised to find his brother home, though he had later learned that Toshiro had rushed back at the first word of his missing younger sibling.

What a task it had been, giving them a reason for having been absent so long. But, more than that, there had been an explanation needed for the inexplicable events that had occurred; some of the adults had in their memories hazy recollections of destruction and endless darkness, accompanied by an odd reawaking to otherworldly light. A general consensus had been reached that something _had _happened, but none had been able to ascertain exactly _what_. Kairi had been questioned, of course, but had offered no answers, finding it wrong to give only half-truths until she was able to find some trace of Sora and Riku herself. So, all their families had known was that the boys were gone and might never come back. Then Kairi herself had disappeared, leading to an overall despair, most notably in those closest to them.

In the end…they had told them the only thing they could: the truth. After all, Sora and Riku were completely aware that they were now Keybearers for life. Responsibilities and _changes _came along with that acceptance, not the least of which were Anima and Animus. It had been quite a chore, convincing their town's inhabitants to allow the Heartless to remain nearby, especially after learning that it had been Heartless that had destroyed the islands before. However, it had eventually been resolved, as the pair was now well settled into Riku's household. As Sora heard it, Riku's grandmother had actually taken a liking to the two Shadows, and doted on them often. Other than that, things had resolved themselves rather simply after the initial shock, though it had taken nearly a year to do so. But then, the truth could not be denied, as their usage of the Keyblades proved.

Although, there were…other things.

"Err, Sora…I think you were molting in your sleep."

Groaning, Sora picked himself up off the floor, massaging the arch of his right wing, tenderly probing the glinting white feathers. He absentmindedly watched the tiny filaments glimmer from white to blue to green and then to white again, the more-than-familiar colors of his soul reflecting in the depths of his eyes. Then, an irked expression on his face, he glanced back at his bed, agitatedly mumbling under his breath at the dozen or so feathers scattered around his rumpled mattress. He couldn't remember how many times it had happened now, but, most nights, his wings would emerge as he slept, folding neatly over him to instinctively enshroud his form. It happened to Riku, too, he knew, and both of them were trying to find a way to stop their wayward abilities from manifesting that way. They had yet to find a solution, though.

"I'll clean it later," he muttered grumpily, willing his wings to disappear. They did so in a brief flash of white, the now-familiar weight vanishing from his shoulders. "Now…"

Sora turned towards his brother, giving him a critical eye. "Just why the heck did you wake me up? It's Saturday, you know."

"You actually know what day it is? Now _that's _certainly a surprise," Toshiro commented with a grin nearly identical to his own, save for an odd, lopsided tilt. Sora just glared at him, waiting for him to continue. "Okay, okay, don't give me that evil eye. Riku's waiting for you downstairs; I think he wants to talk to you about something."

"Why didn't he just come up here?"

"He said he needed to talk in a place more private," Toshiro informed him, his face growing more serious. His brother was a smart one, and could tell when things were off. "He seemed distracted."

_And a distracted Riku is never a good thing_, Sora silently confirmed, a touch of his dreams returning. When he had been younger, he certainly wouldn't have considered this, but many things had changed. _ Could he have had dreams like that, too?_

"Anyway, he's waiting downstairs in the living room, so don't take too long," Toshiro turned to leave, but glanced back over his shoulder before reaching the door. "And Sora…? You were talking in your sleep again."

_Again?_

Wary, Sora met those eyes so close to his own. "What was I saying?"

_Did he hear me talking back to that…voice?_

"I couldn't make out most of it, but you were mumbling something about time. That there wasn't any time left."

An odd shudder rippled through Sora, a sense of foreboding overcoming him. Surely…it couldn't be real. But then, past experiences warned him to take heed of his dreams, as dreams were often not what they seemed. Many dark, unwanted things could be hinted in them, truths hidden in shadow save for midnight revelations that could be easily and foolishly discarded come the morning.

Running a nervous hand through his tousled hair, Sora gave his brother a small smile. "Thanks for telling me, 'Ro."

A touch of that old cheerfulness returned to his brother's face at the use of his kid nickname, and he grinned back at him before closing the door behind him. "Don't mention it, 'Ra."

Sora's smile gained a little truth at that, though it didn't linger long. Once Toshiro had gone, an odd coldness settled over Sora, clouding his vision to the familiar, homey disorder of his room. Distantly, he went about getting dressed, not even noticing as he moved the inwardly shining form of the Soul's Court Keychain from its resting place in a small box on his mantel to the confines of his pant's pocket. And, really, even if he had been aware of it, he probably would have done it anyway.

_Just what…is going on?_

****

……………

"Just water, please," Riku absentmindedly answered Sora's mother, giving her a detached smile before sitting on the couch once more.

"If that's what you want, dear," replied the short, fragile-looking woman as she gave him a piercing look that, normally, would have caused him to fidget in his seat. Instead, he only gazed at the pictures over the dining table with distant interest—or what seemed to be distant interest, anyway. A concerned frown tugging at her mouth, she whisked into the kitchen just as Sora bounded down the stairs, eliciting a well-practiced yell.

"Sora! You're eighteen, not twelve! Act your age!"

"But you always tell me I have the IQ of a six year-old!" He shot back with a grin, ducking a dishtowel as it was chucked good-naturedly at him. Sora was on very good terms with his mother. After all, she threw the silverware at Toshiro.

Riku watched this usual family interplay with a ghost of a smile, though it secretly did not reach his eyes. In truth, his own thoughts tugged at him even now, memories of dreams and shadows refusing to leave him be. Time…time…why did it seem to be slipping away? Why was there a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that told him, quite plainly, that there wasn't any _time_?

"You too, huh?"

Glancing over at Sora as he plopped on the couch next to him, Riku gave a small nod. "It's happened to me before, though."

"What, really?"

Riku nodded again, aware as Sora's thoughts raced, the quick theories and possibilities visible in the suddenly darker depths of his eyes. Riku wondered if Sora knew his eyes did that, growing a shade closer to midnight whenever he was deeply absorbed in anything pertaining to their 'duty'. However, it wasn't fair to be going into eyes, not when he still wore the blindfold—or blindfolds, since Anima and Animus had had to make a few extras—the majority of the time. It was just too difficult, trying to sort out the seething light and darkness beneath all things.

But then…Riku hardly had it much worse than Sora. The music of the soul…Sora heard it all the time, a humming tune in a thousand different tones and languages constantly in the background, resonating through all things. Sora had learned to mainly tune it out by now, but that didn't mean it was _gone_, and there were times when a particular individual or star called a bit **too **loudly, droning into his mind until he could think of little else. So, they were both blessed—or plagued, at times—to see and hear what others could not, to carry a knowledge they could neither ignore nor overlook.

Coming to a decision, Sora called out over the back of the couch as he stood once more. "Mom! Me and Riku are going out!"

"Then take something to drink! It's hotter than usual!"

Sora yelped as a waterbottle came flying his way, just managing to snag it before it made a friendly greeting with his face. Shaking his head in a bemused way, Riku got to his feet, noting with interest that Sora's mother had anticipated this when she had asked him if he wanted anything.

_Smart lady._

Was it wrong to be making observations like this when darker things seemed to be on the horizon? Riku couldn't be sure…

_"There just isn't time anymore…"_

What did it mean? Was something already happening, and they just didn't know about it? Riku sorely hoped that wasn't the case. Too often he had seen the result of being too late, of missing that last chance to _do something _before everything came crashing down. If there was anything left that scared him, it was being able to do something and _not _being able to do it in time. He had finally gained control over his life, over himself, and to have that control taken away was something he just couldn't allow. Not anymore.

"Jeez, she wasn't kidding," Sora muttered as they stepped out onto his wide porch, already squinting while still beneath the awning. The ocean, some hundred yards distant, flared brightly in the blazing sun, the frothing waves crashing merrily against the docks and the ships anchored there. Few people were about, and those that were bore hats and overly large, loose clothing to accommodate the weather. "Just where did you want to go, Riku?"

He thought about it a minute, blindfolded gaze scanning the sparsely populated sidewalks with their sand-beaten boards and the scruffy seabrush pushing up on either side of them. Sora lived very near the beach, in an area that was slowly being absorbed by the sea. The sands rose every year, causing the already dirt-paved roads to gain yet another layer of grit and the stone and adobe homes to crust over every time there came a fierce wind or storm. However, the view was absolutely picturesque, Destiny Islands visible from Sora's very own window, the entire island chain spanning out beyond this one stretch of beach. On good days, the forested humps flashed liked emerald gems in the sun, the distant ones twinkling as the stars did in the sky.

Home…how good it felt, even years after the fact.

"How about something simple?" Riku commented, gesturing with a hand to one of the occupied docks; consequently, occupied by their personal skiffs, most often used to reach the near island that was their playground. "We should be fine."

"Fine…yeah," Sora breathed as they stepped out onto the street, sand crunching beneath their shoes. He raised a hand to his eyes, gazing up at the flawless sky and the wide shadows of gulls winging high above, their keening calls echoing distantly in his ears, odd counter notes to the melody that never ceased. Truthfully, though, Sora loved the sound of his world, the simple, lilting flute tones soothing in a way that was hard to explain, yet comforting just the same. "This feels like a big one, Riku."

"I know," the silver-haired Bearer confirmed in a low voice, nodding a greeting to a few of the people that they passed. He half-noticed the near-reverence in their eyes, a part of his mind pegging them 'tourists'. Visitors to the islands had picked up as of late, word spreading of just who—or perhaps 'what' was a better term—was living in this quaint corner of the world. It irked him, but there were far more important things that demanded his attention. "I've heard that voice before."

"Recently?" Sora asked, hopping over a thick, tightly coiled rope with the ease of long practice. This _was _a very active deep sea fishing area, after all, and he knew his way around a harbor.

"No," Riku replied tersely, though his agitation was hardly directed toward Sora. The other teen knew this, and let it pass. "Years ago. The first time was in Kingdom Hearts."

"Then I see why you're worried," Sora commented with understanding, plopping down on the end of the dock and letting his sandaled feet dangle over the edge of the water-stained planks.

"He was the one who helped me get to Hollow Bastion. And later, he came to me in a dream and told me how to use your Keychains to learn magic," Riku admitted, one corner of his mouth twitching. Even now, it was a little tough letting on that he wasn't capable of doing everything on his own, but he was getting over it. Gradually, anyway. "I don't think he's…evil, at least as we know it. But I don't like what he's hinting at."

Sora leaned back, bracing himself on his palms and letting the crisp, heavy sea breeze run through the longer strands of his hair. "Now that you mention it…I think I've heard him before, too. A long time ago…before the Keyblade first appeared. I dreamed…"

_Why is it always dreams with us?_ Riku silently questioned, but kept his exasperated and far-reaching thoughts to himself, instead continuing to listen as Sora sought back in his memories.

"For the longest time, I thought it was the King, but the more I go over it in my head, the more I figure it was probably this guy…whoever he is," Sora concluded, sitting up straight again. "But it's weird. I can't…seem to remember what his voice actually _sounds _like, even from this morning. That doesn't get too many good marks in my book."

"Same here," Riku agreed, running a hand through his hair. "I can't remember, either. I just know it was him. It's obvious he's warning us of something, though a lot of good it does us when we can't even remember what it is."

Sora sighed, an old, weary smile emerging on his face as he watched the familiar, timeless waves, the warm tropical waters rushing gaily around his feet. "I guess we should get ready for something, then. I'll have to tell Kairi."

Riku immediately opened his mouth to protest, but stopped it just in time. If they didn't tell her, Kairi would figure out they were hiding something eventually and more than likely beat it out of them. Or something. She had a way of getting what she wanted, more often than not by a means you were never expecting. And besides, she had proven many times over as equally capable as they and as equally deserving of knowing what might be coming. Instead, he looked directly at Sora, certain that the other teen could sense the seriousness that lay in his hidden eyes.

"Sora…are you sure to want to take this on? I mean…we're done, aren't we? You…we've been through a lot. I don't like that fact that something else is coming our way that we don't seem to have any say in at all."

Sora appeared to think this over for a moment or two, then smiled, reaching over to give Riku's shoulder a friendly cuff. "I don't like it either. But…somehow, I'm not afraid. No matter what way I think about it, I know you're with me this time, Riku. You and Kairi. Sappy, yeah, but the truth."

His smile changed to a grin, his blue, blue eyes twinkling with that familiar humor. "That's why I'm willing to believe this and prepare for it. Not because I'm the Keyblade Master of Souls; at least, not entirely because of it. You said it before, didn't you? Together we can do it…and I know we can."

Riku, despite his best efforts, felt his own smile tugging on his lips. Honestly, when Sora was in 'hero mode', it was hard to resist joining in. His best friend just had a way about him, always had. It had disappeared for a time after Kingdom Hearts had been sealed, but there had been a very good reason behind it. And, since the return of his heart, Sora had fallen right back into the way he used to be, or almost, anyway. Riku often wondered how someone could be so different and yet be so much the same. He had recently decided to give up on that question, though, because he didn't really _need _an answer.

"I know you'll always be someone I can count on," Sora told him, though a flash of mischief went through his eyes. "Although, you know…it can be hard sometimes, having to deal with the daily reminder of just not being pretty enough to compare with you."

_…he's asking for it now._

"Oh, really?"

Before Sora could properly defend himself, Riku tackled him, snagging Sora in a headlock. A victorious grin fighting its way onto his face as he listened to Sora's affronted yelps, he dug a fist into the untidy mess of brown spikes in a fearsome noogie and kept a firm hold as the other teen trashed and laughed. He was laughing, too, the pair of them flashing back years and years, to when they were both ten years old and doing the exact same thing they were now. True, there were differences, but still were they those same little boys.

"Okay, okay, I give! I give!" Sora yelled, gasping and laughing so hard that there were tears in his eyes.

Riku complied, ducking skillfully out of the way as Sora attempted to elbow him in the gut. "So…what was that again?"

"Nothing at all," Sora replied innocently as he resettled himself, making a point to plunge his feet into the sea and consequently splash seawater up and down Riku's front. "Annoying or no, I trust you, Riku."

Momentarily removing his blindfold to wring the water out of it, Riku opened his eyes marginally to watch the smile grow on Sora's face. The light from within his heart blazed around him like the rays of the sun, made all the more stunning and immense by the coils of darkness resting among it. It was beautiful, but, frankly, it still made him flinch.

"Always have, always will. And Riku…are you grimacing at me?"

Quickly wrapping the slim black cloth over his changed eyes, Riku just managed to muster an innocent smile. "No, of course not."

He was very proud of the fact that, when Sora shoved him off the edge of the dock, he grabbed the other teen and dragged him along with him.

****

……………

"…are ya sure dat ya're ready fer dis, Kairi?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Ya absolutely sure?"

"_Yes, _Cielo. Can we please get started?"

The young man—about five years her senior—sighed carefully, aware that he _had _promised his little brother that he'd help Kairi learn his particular…profession. And, while Wakka wasn't really his own blood—Cielo having been adopted before the red-haired boy was born—the pale Beastmaster would do anything for him. Even instruct Kairi in the delicate and usually very dangerous art of taming wild animals. Or monsters, or summons, as the case might be. Aware that he couldn't stall any longer, Cielo ran one last hand through the thick, lavender dreadlocks of his hair, crystal, sky-blue eyes imploring the heavens in a quick prayer that nothing deadlier than a Dingo popped out of the underbrush.

"…'kay, let's get goin'," he started, pulling a tiny, leaf-like whistle from one of the carry satchels at his hips. It appeared organic, though on closer inspection was revealed to be made of mythril, the costly material somewhere between teal and emerald in color. It gleamed as he moved it to his lips. "First, a review: de dyaus pipe calls de beasts an' monsters witin a certain area to ya. Sometimes, ya might even get a summon, but prolly not 'round here. It takes a little more dan just blowing air, tho, so always remember ta add a little of ya heart to it, too."

Kairi nodded, the instruction Cielo had given her over the last couple of months running clearly through her head. That had been the stipulation, after all; she had to know the ins and outs of Beastmanship before she even attempted to call familiars on her own. The creatures of her world were different from Pokémon, after all, so there were a lot of new and sometimes stranger things she'd had to learn. But her confidence in regards to taming and caring for other living beings had not dwindled in any way, so she took all the classes in stride.

When it came right down to it, Kairi knew she would never be as proficient as Sora and Riku when it came to combat, if she even managed to learn the rudimentary basics of swordplay at all. Hence, she found other ways in which to protect herself and others, determined to stand _by _her friends in times of crisis, not **behind **them. There were, of course, her abilities as a Princess of Heart…but, little as though she wanted to admit it, she hadn't been able to utilize them again since the battle against Aros two years ago. Was it because there wasn't any need…?

"Now, as soon as ya blow, ya gotta be ready fer anyting," Cielo went on, oblivious to her inner distraction. "I dun expect a Malboro to come troumpin' outta de forest, but ya never know. That's what ya always gotta remember, Kairi: expected de unexpected. Just when ya tink everyting's gonna be fine, some Behemoth come stampedin' up behind ya!"

Kairi restrained her urge to giggle, once again smiling brightly as she basked in the glow of Cielo's enthusiastic rhetoric. Even when trying to be serious, the man _always _came across as an energetic little boy, pale face bright with his cheerful, open smile and friendly eyes. Cielo could give Sora a run for his money in the optimism department, though Cielo's choice of friends often left people scratching their heads and wondering where the stars had gone wrong. After all, he was a member of the little 'Embryon' group, the six young men and women training in mainland careers. The band included Cielo, as a Beastmaster, while the others filled out separate, yet complimenting roles in their little 'party'. These group assignments were meant to aid in exploration and defense operations, though their little ring of islands had little to do with the conflicts and expansions of the world at large.

Although, despite her real lack of interest in such complicated changes, Kairi could not help but listen a bit more intently at the whole 'party' idea. A group of warriors working together, aiding and defending each other, no member less or more important than the other, and accomplishing nigh impossible tasks together…it sounded wonderful to her. After having the two most important people in her world face dark battle after dark battle alone—or nearly alone—she wished desperately that, should anything like that ever happen again—the stars forbid—that they would have such a group to help them.

"So!" Cielo said, a bit _too _loudly, proving that he had, indeed, caught her staring off into space. His smile remained kind, though, and he only shook his head, the sunlight catching his soft violet hair and the wide yellow rings keeping it in place. "Now all dat's left is ta see what we can call!"

And, at her agreeing nod, that's what he did, the tiny pipe emitting a thin, melodic whistle almost too high for her to hear. There were a few moments of silence afterwards, tension thick in the air, but almost surprisingly soon there came a rustle from beyond the nearest trees. Something was approaching, quickly, yet hesitantly, waiting for a sign that it really was okay to approach. That was how the half magic/half talent skill of beastmastery was on Destiny Islands. Not a total domination of the creature, but a request for aid, partnership. If the Master was of kind will, and strong heart…then they would tame even the most fearsome of beasts and proudly call them friends and allies.

_And that just feels…right, _Kairi murmured happily in her mind and, at Cielo's encouraging nod, she took a step forward, kneeling with her hand offered. That was how it was always done, waiting willingly for them to come to you…and she could just see gleaming eyes watching her from beneath the underbrush. She smiled, inching forward a little, and opened her mouth to call—

When out of _nowhere_ something huge and moving at an incredible speed blasted past nearly directly over their heads. Kairi was knocked back onto her butt, Cielo tumbling backwards and over a log, his yelps of surprise emerging from the thick underbrush. Kairi caught only a moment's glimpse of it, something large and smooth and gleaming in many colors…a Gummi ship? But…how could it be? She remembered them looking much different than that…

"What da heck was dat?" Cielo ground out as he flailed back up out of the underbrush, yanking a few stray twigs out of his hair. "Ya alright, Kairi?"

"Yes, I'm fine…," she mumbled distractedly in response, climbing to her feet. "I think…it was a ship…"

Cielo blinked. "A ship…? But it was flyin'…"

Kairi shook her head, turning to smile at him. "No, I mean a Gummi ship…something that travels through space, between worlds."

"Ah…so dat makes it a space ship?" He replied, head tilted. "But…if dat's so, den what is it doin' here?"

"I don't know…," Kairi said softly, a faint shadow drifting across her eyes. "But I intend to find out."

****

……………

Sora and Riku never saw it coming. One minute, they were clamoring back up onto the pier, soaking wet and still laughing hard. The next, they were rolling and skidding to a halt several yards _down_ the pier, a good-sized wave of water rushing along behind them. Sora watched as his skiff floated by, happy as you please, then dazedly shoved himself up on his arms, staring with astonished eyes at the…the _thing_ floating next to the dock.

It looked like an egg. Almost exactly like an egg, really, although three times as long as Sora's skiff and about as wide as he was tall. Sleek and streamlined, its smooth surface gleamed in many dark colors, shifting back and forth between the iridescent shades as it bobbed peacefully under the sun. The indentations of wide windows across its front were visible, though covered with a thin film of pasty white. There weren't wings or fins of any kind, though the back, wider and rounder then the fore, bore three rows of four or so protrusions…engines, if Sora's eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Sora…," Riku muttered as he retied his blindfold, climbing to his feet and offering his friend a hand. "…is that what I think it is?"

"If you're thinking Gummi Ship, then yeah, though that's not like any Gummi _I've _ever seen, and I've seen a lot," Sora answered, brow furrowing. A strange new Gummi ship, coming out of nowhere and landing right in front of them? "But it's no coincidence, that's for sure."

"…yeah."

That was about all the time they had for preparatory conversation, as a wide door seamlessly bent open on the side of the ship facing the pier, thunking almost musically against the boards. The pair tensed, Sora's fingers twitching around a trace of light while Riku narrowed his eyes behind his blindfold, trying to catch some inner sight of their opponent. And then winced, covering his eyes, while Sora let out the breath he'd been holding, now choosing to instead stare and lift a brow.

"Greetings!" shouted a young man of about seventeen years, taking a moment to stretch languidly, the double-bladed swallow strapped to his back gleaming in the sun. He bounded up, a few errant strands of blue hair poking out from under a red bandanna tied atop his head, nearly obscuring his also blue eyes. "I'm looking for the Keyblade Masters Sora and Riku, and the Princess of Heart, Lady Kairi. Do you know where they might be?"

There was a moment of silence, the small crowd that had gathered at the far end of the pier murmuring faintly as Sora and Riku just stared. The spell was broken, however, as Riku snorted, then laughed, shaking his head back and forth.

"Great stars, you'd think people would send someone who actually knew us on sight."

Sora had to crack a grin at that. "Yeah. Guess we're not so famous as Keybearers then, eh?"

The teen stared at them for a moment, uncomprehending, then blushed a rather brilliant shade of red, hands flying to close what looked like a chainmail vest over a midnight blue undershirt. The shirt matched his leggings, and the half-skirt fluttering over one leg. Black, armored boots came up to about mid-calf and armored gauntlets of the same shade covered nearly all of his sleeveless arms. He then yanked the bandanna from his head, hastily stuffing it in some back pocket and revealing the odd tattoos on his face. Formerly obscured by the bandanna and his hair, the thin, archaic black lines twined over his left eye, then around and half under it, trailing down half his cheek before finally ending at about the level of his upper lip. It was…striking, at least, but so were his next actions.

His clothing and appearance apparently in order, the teen stood straight again, arms rigid at his sides, and bowed low, giving them a very good view of the top of his head. "Forgive me, Keyblade Masters! I will not show such disrespect again!"

"Hey, hey now!" Sora exclaimed immediately, heat rising to his face as he stepped forward, taking the teen by the shoulders and standing him up again. Honestly…they were in old, worn clothing and soaking wet! How could anyone bow to them? "No need to be formal or anything, buddy. We're just regular guys, you know? So, just greet us normally, 'kay?" Sora offered his hand, holding his head up and smiling brightly. "Hello, I'm Sora and yes, I'm the Keyblade Master of Souls, but I like to think I'm better at sleeping, eating, and being lazy then I am at that."

_That_ got Sora a few more moments of staring, the boy looking at Sora as though he'd sprouted a third head. He did manage to speak again, though, voice uncertain and a little confused, but anything was better than bowing and scraping. "Ah, I…see. Well, I…I'm Serge Leingod, apprentice Dark Blade and, um…it's nice to meet you, Keybearer."

Sora beamed at him as the handshake was returned, albeit a little nervously. "Well, it's nice to meet you, too, Serge and please, Sora will do just fine. Like I said, I'm a normal guy. And, even though he doesn't look it, so is Riku."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Riku put in with a grin, standing beside Sora but refraining from a handshake. It looked like Serge was going to fall down, anyway. "Jealously gets you nowhere, Sora."

Sora gave him a look, but continued speaking to Serge. "Anyway, I don't think you came here just to bow and get a handshake or two, Serge. So, we'd kinda like the details: where you're from, what you're here for, where you got that awesome ride…"

"I can answer those questions, if you don't mind," a new voice said calmly and kindly, a second person emerging from the strange ship. He was older, in his late twenties or early thirties, tall with fairly dark hair and eyes, his slightly wavy locks held in a loose ponytail. He had small, rectangular spectacles, his clothing immaculate, though loose, an odd, tunic-like top in light green with long flaps in front and behind him. Beneath were simple beige leggings and light, serviceable boots, though what looked like small carry pouches were strapped to either side of his ankles. It was…odd, but this day was becoming rather odd as a whole.

"My name is Dr. Citan Uzuki," he offered with a more polite bow, as if it were normal for him. "Just Citan, if you'd like. Serge and myself are from Hollow Bastion and we are here to deliver a summons."

It was Sora's turn to stare now, blinking a few seconds before finding his voice. "A…summons? As in…we're needed somewhere? What for?"

"I will be more than happy to tell you once we locate Lady Kairi," Citan responded, standing straight again. "Is there any place more…suitable where we can converse?"

"Eh?"

Sora glanced around, noticing for the first time that the crowd behind him had grown, and now included a few of the tourists he had spotted earlier. And stars, were those cameras flashing? Sora felt his face going red again—and he spotted Riku sighing resignedly, rubbing his forehead—and he quickly turned back to Serge and Dr. Uzuki. "Um…yeah. My house is nearby, so that should do. But, err…what about your…ship?"

"It should be fine," the older man responded with a smile and, as if on cue, the ramp behind him slid back up, melding seamlessly with the rest of the gleaming pod. "That is only the ground vessel, anyway."

"Ground vessel?"

"Yeah!" Serge spoke up suddenly, excitement and pride overriding his lingering embarrassment. He beamed happily as he spoke, looking very hyper and cheerful for seventeen, but Sora supposed that was how he himself would have been, had he never received the Keyblade. "It's Professor Cid's and Dr. Uzuki's newest design. Bigger Gummi ships with ship to ground vehicles so you can transport larger goods and more passengers. We got to come in the first fully functional model, the Losstarot."

"Losstarot?" Sora pondered out loud, keeping his more vehement "_Professor _Cid!" to himself.

"Ah, a famous—or rather, infamous—Dark Blade, Sydney Losstarot, from several centuries ago," Citan spoke up, looking a little bemused. "We had a small contest at the Bastion for who would name the trio of new ships. The current Dark Blade Captain won the draw."

"You keep mentioning these 'dark blades'," Riku commented, arms crossed as he watched them intently…though Sora doubted they could tell he was watching them intently. "What are they?"

"The respective Blades of Hollow Bastion are like mage knights," Serge offered, still looking rather proud. "You've got the various elemental magics, but the most respected are the Dark and Light Blades. There is only one Captain and one Apprentice at a time, and me and my older brother Fayt are the current trainees!"

Riku listened, looking rather interested, if Sora was any judge, but then, Sora was intrigued as well. Considering all the battles they'd gone through and the abilities they had needed to learn and perfect, fighting styles were something of a hobby or job now.

_Hey…that doesn't sound like a bad idea…_

"Sora, Riku!"

Sora's train of thought was cut off as Kairi pushed her way through the crowd, breathing hard. She eyed the newcomers and their ship warily, but shook it off a moment later, replacing the hint of worry that Sora detected with a bright, friendly smile. "Ah, welcome to our world! I'm Kairi!"

Once again, there was a decent amount of staring from Serge and, surprisingly, a slightly critical look from Citan. It looked as though the man was…searching for something, carefully studying her face and smile, her hair and how she moved. What was up with that? Citan did that small bow again, respectful and elegant at once, while Serge attempted to contain himself. Obviously, they were pretty big celebrities at Hollow Bastion…which bothered Sora a little, actually.

They hadn't been there in years…and even then, it had only been briefly, and when the place had been deserted. How much had changed, really? What had they missed? Why were they being summoned now? Was Gummi technology really advancing so far that…

Sora stopped that train of thought, eyes widening a little.

__

Wait…shouldn't the worlds be separated? They should have been…a long time ago…

Time…

Does this have to do with the dreams?

Well, dur, of course, idiot. It always does…

A sideways glance at Riku's expression confirmed that he was thinking along the same lines. A Gummi ship, here, and with a 'summons', as they put it…and celebrity status waiting for them back in Hollow Bastion. It was bad enough they got stared at on their own island; but another world, one that Sora had technically saved before? He shuddered to think of it.

"Well, since the three of you are now here, to your house then, Sir Sora?" Citan asked politely, giving Serge a small nudge, the teen blinking a bit before focusing again, a slight flush returning to his cheeks.

Sora was kind of feeling a blush himself and he stammered out a quick response as he led the way, Riku working crowd control in front of him. "Ah, Dr. Uzuki, I would like it if, um…you didn't put a 'Sir' in front of my name. It just doesn't suit me, Keyblades aside…I'm sure Cid told you that, right? I mean, if you know him…"

At that, the man smiled kindly, eyes twinkling. "Actually, Cid put me up to it. He wanted to know how embarrassed you would be. I think his words were: 'Please make sure he's still the same idiot punk, alright?' He is very convincing when he wants something done."

Sora felt the blush grow stronger, Kairi giggling at little at his side and Riku chuckling up ahead, all in spite of the situation. Even Kairi knew by now that something big was up. More than big. And the peace they'd established the last two years was slowly, slowly tilting, becoming something else, something new and old and far too familiar.

_I don't really want to say 'impending doom', but that's sure what it feels like…_

****

……………

"Would you like anything else to drink, Doctor?"

Citan smiled as he shook his head, taking his one glass of water from Sora's mother. "No, this should do. Thank you very much."

She nodded, then glanced around at the small group seated in her living room, gaze critical. Sora almost winced, aware that, while it wouldn't be a problem of him leaving if need be—since he'd had to leave a couple times before—it was convincing her that he really was going to be alright. But that would come later, so, rather than switch into loving son mode, he waited until she stepped back into the kitchen, then turned his attention to Citan and Serge.

"Okay, spill…what are these summons about? Did something happen at Hollow Bastion?"

"Actually…no."

"…say what?"

Citan paused, voice and expression gaining a little more seriousness than they'd had thus far. "A few days ago, a message was received at Hollow Bastion from the Magic Kingdom…where King Mickey rules, if you remember."

Sora nodded, though it was Riku who looked on with more certainty. They had spoken with Donald and Goofy since then, of course, the wizard and knight even coming to visit a few times. However, neither they, nor Riku, could really explain just how it was that Mickey had reappeared back home after what had happened at Kingdom Hearts two years ago.

"We were informed that it seems an offworlder has somehow managed to breach the barriers that Mickey himself erected around his world," Citan continued, then stopped as he received three blank stares…well, two blank stares and a blindfold turned pointedly his way. "Ah…you didn't know?"

Riku gave a short, meaningful cough. "Obviously not. Should we have?"

"Actually, yes," Citan replied with serious eyes. "But I suppose King Mickey felt there were some things you were not ready to know. Namely, certain abilities given to Keyblade Masters."

"What, besides weird senses and wiOW! Riku, why'd you hit me?"

Citan continued as if Sora had not spoken, though his eyes had gained a hint of mirth, and understanding. "Yes, abilities beyond those two. Hollow Bastion has an extensive archive of information on the Keyblades and their Masters…which, up until this point, had been regarded as complete myth. And even after Ansem's corruption, he hoarded and hid the texts with this knowledge from the general populace. Only recently have they been rediscovered. And King Mickey, of course, was aware of his…attributes as a Master already."

"So what does this have to do with barriers around worlds?" Sora asked, feeling like a kid again, despite everything he had gone through. And the truth was…he still _was _a kid, at least when it came to his powers. Sure, he could fly, could hear the songs that resonated from the souls around him…but there was more to it, there always had been, and he had never learned it.

Never _tried _to learn it.

"Keyblades, once fully attuned to their Masters, emit a constant stream of power, either from the Heart or the Soul. It resonates with the Bearer, and the Bearer's world of origin. Over time, this can cause an influx of raw energy, which can be tapped into by those who know how. Mickey placed barriers around his world using his Keyblade so that individuals who wished to use this power would be barred from entry. However, the message we received indicated that the walls the King had placed had been ruptured somehow."

It took Sora a few moments to absorb all that, his expression remaining one of polite interest while his mind started to turn in frantic cartwheels. If what Citan was saying was true, both Riku and himself were putting out an excess amount of power via their Keyblades. But what did resonating mean? What exactly _happened _whenever they used their powers? Or even just continued to live on their own world? What could someone accomplish with this energy they were supposedly putting out?

And why was all of this coming up _now?_

_Again, stupid question, Sora. You'll find out eventually…and probably at the worst possible time._

Isn't that how it always is?

"So, the wall going down is a bad thing…but what does this have to do with us?" Riku put in, his tone almost business-like. From what he had told Sora earlier, the other boy knew his friend didn't want them to get involved in…well, anything again. But, now that it was happening, he was facing it head-on…very Riku-like, as Sora could easily tell.

"To be frank, we have no idea," Citan replied, pausing a moment to allow their looks of shock to fade. "All that the message informed us of was the problem, and that King Mickey requested your presence as soon as possible."

"But why send a message in the first place?" Kairi questioned almost timidly, though her eyes were sharp. "I thought…the Magic Kingdom was closer to us than Hollow Bastion."

"True…but all Gummi ship activity has been ceased, lest whoever breached the walls manages to escape off-world. Hollow Bastion is the only other major hub of interstellar travel in this general area, so we were the logical choice to ask for aid."

Sora leaned back in his seat, neck resting against the couch as he took a good, long look at the ceiling. A possibly dire situation that they knew nothing about, passed along without anyone really confirming anything, and from the King himself…yep, it had impending doom written _all_ over it.

But they couldn't very well say no, could they?

"…well, at least we get to ride in your fancy new ship."

"Actually…we were only asked to pass the message along. We're here for another reason as well."

Sora shot back upright again, not even needing to look—or lift a certain blindfold—to know that Riku's eyes were narrowed, or that Kairi's hands had fisted in her lap. "What _other _reason do you have? And _how_ are we supposed to get to the Magic Kingdom without a ship?"

Citan didn't even blink at his vehemence, though his smile was kind as his eyes softened to the color of fine cognac. "As a Keyblade Master, you should have no problem traveling between worlds, ship or no ship. Isn't that so?"

Though he opened his mouth immediately to deny it, Sora shut it an instant later, aware that that _was_ indeed so. They _could _travel between worlds now, without very much trouble at all. And even though it had been two years since he'd done it, he could still remember what it had felt like, wings extended their farthest into reality…or outside of it, really. The feelings of -

_joyfreedomlightsonglaughter**time**_

- that had overwhelmed him. To fly while on a world was one thing; to fly _between _them was quite another. So, they could do it…but that still left one question unanswered.

"Okay, fine, we can fly on our own…but what else is going on besides King Mickey's request?"

Citan turned his gentle gaze to Kairi, the red-haired girl tightening the grip her fingers had on her skirt. "We're here for Lady Kairi. Her presence has been requested at the Bastion. We were just about to leave to fetch her when we received the message from King Mickey, so the task of carrying the summons along became our responsibility as well."

"And why am I 'requested' at Hollow Bastion?" Kairi asked at once, then spoke again before Citan could answer, her voice still polite, but with a sharper edge hidden beneath that sweetness. "…you don't know, do you?"

Citan said nothing then, though his face could be read easily enough. Riku shorted, arms crossed over his chest. "You know…if we weren't nice people, we would just tell you to leave."

Sora knew, of course, that Riku was only venting his frustration in his usual way, but Serge immediately looked crestfallen.

"It's not like we can help it! Nobody's telling us anything anyway and the House of Tycoon is temperamental as it is! They tell us to just come and get you and that's all!"

"…Tycoon?"

"Ah, you wouldn't know," Citan spoke up as Serge looked away, nervously fingering the swallow leaning against his leg. "Besides the King, there is a…council of sorts on our world. Should the King ever be unable rule, the council—which is made up of nine noble families—handles the affairs of the state. Seeing as there _is _no king at the moment, that council currently runs our world. One of the Houses that holds a seat is the family of Tycoon, though they have fallen onto…hard times, as of late."

Sora waited for him to go on, but when he didn't, the Keyblade Master sighed. "Okay, let's recap. Me and Riku are supposed to go see King Mickey, because something odd has happened and he probably needs our help."

_Why, though? If anything, this proves he knows a lot more than we do…so why?_

"But, we're gonna be flying there. Which is fine…I guess. Meanwhile, Kairi is supposed to go with you to Hollow Bastion to meet with this Tycoon family for…whatever reason. How long do you think this will take? Can you give us just a guess?"

Citan shook his head. "I am afraid not. Which, I suppose, does not do much towards convincing you to undertake these journeys."

Surprisingly, it was Riku who sighed, offering a lopsided, long-suffering smile. "Like I said, if we weren't nice people, we probably wouldn't do this. But hey, you're in luck: we're nice people."

Serge blinked in slight confusion, which was usually the reaction Riku got when he switched from 'jerk' mode to 'nice guy' mode. "So…you'll go? And Lady Kairi will come with us?"

"I will come," Kairi answered for him, offering a smile of her own, more genuine this time. "I suppose if they asked for me specifically, then it has to be important."

"And King Mickey wouldn't ask for us unless he really needed our help for something," Sora finished, taking a moment to have a nice, long stretch before getting to his feet. "So, I guess that settles it, then. Give us a night to pack and get things settled around here, and we'll set out in the morning."

_Wow, way to make it sound so simple, Sora. You know it's anything **but **simple…_

"Well then," Riku said briskly, getting to his feet and brushing off his pants. "I guess I'll head home and tell Anima and Animus; you know they'll want to come, Sora."

"Yeah, I know," Sora said with a grin, the expression widening at Citan's and Serge's confusion. "Oh, Anima and Animus are Riku's Heartless groupies."

Serge's mouth dropped open and Citan blinked, which was enough to elicit a laugh from Sora. "Nah, you don't have to worry about them. They're pretty cool. Just don't give Animus any cocktails; we learned not to do that the hard way."

And amidst the laughter that followed—an amused Riku and Kairi explaining the finer details of living with Heartless—Sora gave himself a few moments to breathe deep, a restlessness already settling in his limbs. The dreams, the summons, the lack of any real knowledge at all…and something more. Now that he was paying attention, that he had been made aware of this 'resonating' stuff, of how Keyblade Masters were supposed to be in tune with _more_, he actually **could **feel something. A whisper, a twitch, a flicker in his senses that told him things were…out of place.

_But just how far out of place?_

"There's not a lot of time left."

…I guess we'll find out soon enough.

****

……………

****

Next Chapter: A Life I Left Behind


	4. A Life I Left Behind

****

AN: OMG, IT _HASN'T_ BEEN A MONTH SINCE I LAST UPDATED! Crazy, huh? If anyone cares to know, yes, I've got college and classes and schedules and scholarships and tuition sorted out. But no, I still haven't gotten a job. So, expect the next chapter to take a while, too, since, even if I've got stuff sorted out, it's gonna be kinda crazy, starting college…

However! Here the chapter be, which I like to call: THE EXPOSITION CHAPTER, KAIRI EDITION. More action is coming soon, I swear…and yes, Cloud is wearing his AC clothes. Because he's just sexy that way.

**Aori Tsuki: **Of course you have permission! I love fanart…even if I suck at drawing it myself…so yeah, I don't mind if you, or anyone wants to draw characters from this fanfiction. I would insert a happy face emoticon here, but Quick Edit always gets rid of them…

**Cor-chan: **Heee, I should have thought to put a character's list in the first place. There shall now be a list of cameo characters at the end of whichever chapter they appear! At the end of this chapter will be a list of all the new cameos thus far.

Also, Serge never really had much of a personality (or so it seemed to me), so I just made one up. But the markings (and the last name) are there for a reeeason… (and I would insert a winking smiley face emoticon, but alas…). Oh, but Yami and Ranma won't make an appearance, really, since things have kinda moved on. I mean, Donald and Goofy weren't in CoS much, either.

And lastly! Ed and Al appeared in the third book of CoS, Chapter 17, one of Soujiro's parts. Their cameo was small, but they were there.

**FLeaBaLL: **Honestly speaking, I don't know how long this will be, as I haven't finished the full outline yet. But I'm estimating somewhere around seventy or eighty chapters.

……………

**__**

Reign of Dreams

By

Rem-chan

…………….

"Oh yeah, there's something you should know…"

…Hijiri, _Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne_

****

……………

****

Chapter III: A Life I Left Behind

It was certainly a nice Gummi Ship, much more luxurious than any she had seen before. But then, the people of Hollow Bastion had had four years of growth and renewal since she had last set foot there, so considerable changes were understandable. It closely resembled a yacht, though its shape was more aerodynamic, the wings reduced to two long, thin fins on either side of the teardrop-shaped vessel. The previously blocky construction was a thing of the past, outdated now that Cid—as well as Citan, it seemed—had found a way to merge Gummi parts into a single, highly permeable and amazingly tough pseudo-alloy. So, rather than some triangular rocket that looked like a child's toy, Kairi was instead riding in a streamlined spacecraft that shone in many colors as it swept easily through otherspace.

"…still small, though," Kairi said aloud, sitting with some slight discomfort on the edge of her bed. The room was nice, of course, everything brand new and spotlessly clean…which was rather unnerving to one used to island life. A beyond-soft bed, an over-stuffed chair, a gleaming desk, and a window that allowed her to watch the stars streak by through the cloudy colors of the Gummi's dimension. There was even a dainty vanity, atop which was her pair of travel bags, looking very incongruous with their beaten, beige leather hide and white chocobo feather ornaments. This place felt like it was made for a princess…which, despite certain other titles, she wasn't.

To be frank, she felt almost childishly out of place. And she wondered…how were Sora and Riku doing? So strange, that the three of them had been summoned elsewhere at the same time…but to different places. It bothered her, this twist of fate, far more than her present housing conditions. She wished…she wished she had been able to go with them. But they didn't have an invite for the Losstarot, which was bound elsewhere. And besides…they way those two traveled, there was no way she could follow…

_"So…you're really going to try that?" Kairi asked nervously, one hand on Sora's despite the fact that she would have to leave in only a few minutes. "I mean…isn't it far?"_

"Yeah, it is…," Riku said with a sigh, a hand on his hip while the other rubbed his eyes through his blindfold. "But it's pretty fast, really, from what I remember. I've only done it a few times, but I've never been in any kind of danger."

"And really, Kairi, you have **nothing **to worry about," spoke up the White Shadow standing at Riku's side, Animus offering her his wide, disturbing version of a smile. "I'll be with Riku the whole way to make sure he doesn't screw up!"

Kairi lifted a brow, but Anima chose that point to walk up, a small bag slung over her shoulders. The boys **were **taking luggage, after all, but it was a little easier on them if the Heartless carried some as well. Obviously, being Heartless, they could travel between worlds fairly easily, especially if whatever walls that had been up before were now non-existent. Which was something to be concerned about…little good concern alone did.

"And I will be watching both of them," the Black Shadow put in softly, golden eyes calm and composed. She had been…quiet, moreso than usual, though Kairi hadn't been able to find the right words to ask her about it. And now they were going their separate ways, at least for a little while… "But, besides that, it is unlikely that Sora and Riku will be blown off-course. Things…are very calm."

"Oh, right, calm…," Sora said sarcastically, though he looked vaguely worried. "Calm isn't quite the word I'd use right now. But hey, if it gets us there quicker, then I'm not complaining. I don't know what we'll do if we get tired…"

"Stop on a world somewhere and take a break," Riku put in, sighing in a long-suffering way. "Honestly, Sora, do I **still **have to be the brains of this operation after all this time?"

"You probably would, if you actually had brains."

"…nice to know you admit it."

"…likewise."

Despite herself, Kairi giggled, shaking her head as her two friends each turned a grin her way, their obvious goal of cheering her up accomplished. "Really, you two…I'm fine. I'm entitled to a little worry…but not that _much."_

"Then all is well!" Animus put in enthusiastically, hopping up and down happily, back-pack beating against his shoulders. "And it's a lovely day to be heading out, too!"

And indeed it was. The sun was just finishing its ascent over the eastern horizon, seagulls stirring from their hidden homes to drift lazily on the cool wind. The sea was clear as glass and nearly still, the tide far out and exposing the dappled, pale stretch of thinner, sleeker sand beneath. Those few fish and invertebrates trapped in tidal pools were being rapidly picked off by the gulls, the quick splashes of water flashing here and there like flares. Several industrious children skipped amongst the birds, chasing them off with buckets and nets, hoping to catch a few critters themselves, or happen upon one or two of those rare thalassa shells.

Nearby, the smaller skiffs and boats—designed for such swift tides—rested easily on the sand, awaiting the time when the waters would return. Citan and Serge's ground ship, however…

"…how do you suppose they get it to hover like that?" Sora asked curiously, having glanced at it for about the fifth time since they had come outside. "I mean…there isn't even anything under _it! Nothing's glowing, it isn't making a sound…I don't get it!"_

Kairi giggled again at Sora's adorable _pouty look of frustration, which he never really seemed to be aware he was making. Although, honestly, she was pretty curious herself, as you really couldn't spot what was keeping that ship still in the air, in exactly the same position against the pier as it had been yesterday. "Well, if you really want to know, I'll ask Citan on the way to Hollow Bastion, then tell you when we all get back. Sound like a plan, Sora?"_

Sora glanced sideways at her, making it very easy for Kairi to see how his eyes brightened, that familiar, familiar smile falling into place. It felt so good to see it, even as they were leaving each other. She had watched that smile grow going on twelve years now and she **still **wasn't tired of it. And Kairi figured she never would be. After all this time, the battles and the separation and the hardship, she wasn't about to let that smile go. It meant far too much to her, and who was she to loosen her grasp, when Sora had given his heart for her already?

"Works for me," the teen replied, his smile shifting a bit, seriousness flitting through his features. "But since we're talking about when I get back…"

Kairi felt her brows lift and, ahead of them, Riku gave Sora a searching look, then grinned, he and his 'followers' making their way to the ship with Kairi's own luggage while the brown-haired Keybearer turned towards her. The sunlight glinted off the various crown-shaped buckles that adorned his long jacket, a soft rasp whispering through the air as the coarse fabric of his loose leggings dragged against the sandy wood beneath his feet. The strap from his own bag was slung across his chest, pressing against the beaten red cloth of his shirt, hiding the faded words and designs. Looking at it now, Kairi could remember what was written there, having seen it when she had bought the shirt new for Sora upon their return two years ago.

Destati! Tendi la mano – E'giunta l'ora, destati – Le porte verranno schiuse_, it read, the deep golden lettering, archaic in design, swirling and flowing over the front. _Su rimembra tu trepida – Su sveglia! Ehi ricorda…

_"I talked it over with the Mayor," Sora went on, rubbing the back of his head in a slight nervous gesture, looking down at his shoes before looking at her again. Kairi wasn't sure how he'd take her surprised look, but she couldn't help it. If he actually talked with _Auron _of all people, he was pretty serious about whatever it was. It took a brave man to even say 'hello' to the Mayor. "And he's given me permission to open up a school. Uh, I think Kenshin—you remember Kenshin, right?—would have called it a dojo. The only thing I'm good at now is fighting and, well…why not teach people? Not that there're any wars or anything I want to fight, but using the Keyblade has taught me a lot of patience, and focus, and stuff like that…so it wouldn't be wrong to show other people that, you know? There're other academies and instruction halls on the mainland, but no serious schools here, so…I thought I'd do that. It's better then sitting around and doing nothing, right…?"_

Kairi looked at him for several long moments, taking in his uncertain face, the gloved hand that rubbed at the base of his neck, the eager hopefulness in his downcast eyes. His movements shifted his coat and the strap of his bag, a single tarnished gold buckle winking in the light, standing out against the dark blue fabric like a star. The strap only revealed more of the writing on his shirt, something tinkling softly as the metal pieces of his belts slid against each other.

Destati, Destati – Forza, tendi la mano – Destati, Destati – E'giunta l'ora…

_"Sora."_

"…yeah, Kairi?"

Those innocent eyes, innocent still, even laced with shadows from too many battles. She'd had to watch them fall away from her so many times before…but that didn't mean she had ever really let go. Not the first time, not the second, never in a thousand, thousand years.

And she had the feeling he felt the same way.

"That sounds fantastic_," she finished, a big smile on her face as she pulled him into a hug. "I mean, it doesn't require you to read, or write, or pretend to be an intelligent human being…so it's perfect!"_

"Hey!" Sora exclaimed, even as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, a breath she'd known he'd been holding shuddering free of him. "Should I take that as encouragement or an insult?"

"How about both?" Kairi murmured against his neck, looking up at him as he pulled slightly back, relief and love plain on his face. "This is something you've been wanting a long time, isn't it?"

"Yeah…," he breathed, sheepish and proud all at once. "Ever since we were kids. Riku always beat me, I know…but there was something about it I liked, that comforted me. After I got the Keyblade, it wasn't quite the same anymore…but that's all over now, right? So I can use a weapon the way I want to…because I enjoy it, not because I have to."

Kairi lifted a hand, pushing away the thick fall of spikes from his forehead, standing on her toes to place a small kiss on his brow, some distant part of her mind wondering when it was that Sora had gotten so tall. Her body against his lifted the strap, worn golden thread running over the white cotton of her shirt, his rich brown leggings rubbing along the parts of her calves left bare by her dark red skirt.

E ancora una volta – Apriranno le porte…

_"Then that's what we'll start on as soon as we're both back," Kairi said in a gentle, happy voice, fingers playing lightly against the back of his neck. "If it's your dream, then what better thing is there to be doing?"_

And Sora's eyes warmed, lost their innocence for an instant, but replaced it with something that was just a precious, just as wanted. He tilted his head forward, forehead now pressed lightly against hers, breath smooth and faintly scented with the fruit he must have eaten for breakfast. "…I can think of a few things. This'll be like a career, Kairi…something I'll do for life. Toshiro already said he'll help me pay for renting the location, maybe buying it…and Dad's gonna help me build it, along with Tidus and Wakka and everybody. I wanna make it a dojo like Kenshin described one time, but I can add a place to live, too. A…a place for **us**…"

Kairi was the one who let out the held breath this time, feeling a tremor run quickly through her. She knew this had been something they'd both been thinking about, especially since Tidus had told them of his plans with Yuna. All over again she was reminded that they weren't so young anymore. To some, they still _weren't quite old enough for certain things—choices like this included—but she had learned that, when something felt right, the best course of action was to _do it. _Every day, every moment, was precious, and she didn't intend to waste a single one._

_The fingers of one hand shifted down, tracing over his chest, finding the little words on his shirt._

Su rimembra tu trepida – Su sveglia! Ehi ricorda…

_"You know my answer, Sora…," Kairi stood on her toes again, though not so high this time. Her lips brushed over his, then met them, the two joining for the briefest—yet longest—of moments before she finished her sentence. "…you've always known."_

"Yeah…," came the soft reply, a hand cupping her cheek, a thumb rubbing slowly just beneath her eye. "So that's what we'll do. It'll take a while to get stuff started but…I think we can do it. As soon as we come home…"

Kairi grinned, poking him playfully in the stomach. "Just make sure you come back, Sora. I don't want to have to chase after you and drag you all the way here."

A look of mock hurt spread across his face, the pout returning. "But you would, wouldn't you?"

"But of course," Kairi said at once, hands now resolutely on her hips as Riku returned, Sora backing up a step. "There's nowhere you can go where I can't follow you."

"Kairi!" Sora exclaimed, cringing back as if in terror. "Don't tell me you're **stalking **me now!"

"Oh, but I am!" Kairi proclaimed, wriggling her fingers in what was supposed to be an 'eerie' way. "And you'll never _escape me!"_

"…I fear for you both," Riku commented in his long-suffering way, shaking his head, even though they could clearly see a small smile on his face. "They're waiting for you, Kairi."

Reality suddenly swirling back down around them, Kairi took a deep breath, nodding once to them both. "So, I guess this is good-bye for a couple of weeks, or however long this takes."

The both nodded, Riku glancing briefly at the distant ocean, as if to take it in and preserve it in his memory. Kairi couldn't help noticing how much more calm Riku seemed now, composed…which didn't quite hide the sadness in him, the worry. Of all of them, Riku was probably the one who wished he wasn't a Keybearer the most. And yet, at the same time, he was the most comfortable with it, integrating it into himself, whereas Sora still had two distinct sides. Could someone really **be **something so completely, but at the same time desire not _to be?_

"We'll be back soon enough," Riku breathed, then sighed, shaking his head as he looked back at them. With the blindfold, Kairi couldn't see the expression in his eyes, but she could guess. "How about a promise, then? We all seem to keep our promises, pretty much…so why not promise that, whoever gets back first, they'll wait to celebrate until the others make it?"

"Hey, what a FANTASTIC idea!" Sora exclaimed happily, throwing his arms up in overblown surprise and awe. Riku gave him a dirty look, but Kairi simply smiled, glancing briefly at the last line of text on his shirt, the ending letter twining into a tiny flared wing, much like the pair that flanked the crown printed on the back.

Eh? Come? Non lo vuoi? – Tuttavia t'appartiene – Cio che hai perduto – Diventera uno!

_Riku looked about ready to smack Sora into next week with his travel bag when Sora grinned, thrusting out his clenched fist. "Okay! Our promise: we'll always wait for each other. Sounds a little more classy than just 'hold on with the party', eh?"_

"Yeah, sure, whatever…," Riku groused, but put his hand over Sora's, his own grin fighting its way onto his face. "I'm in. It's too boring without you around, anyway. Where would I get my fix of melodrama and sap if you weren't?"

Kairi smacked him lightly on the arm, then placed her hand over theirs, shaking her head even as she laughed. "You always have Tidus and Yuna. Or Cliff! I'm sure you two could talk about a lot of things…"

"…Kairi…don't make me hit Sora."

"Hey! I didn't say anything!"

"True…but it's not like I can hit her. Next best option? You."

"…that is so unfair."

Kairi laughed again, unable to help herself, pushing away the sense that she was missing these two already. They would be back soon enough, anyway, and what was this promise for, besides?

"Alright then. I promise that I'll always wait for you slowpokes to catch up with me."

"Same here!" Sora quipped immediately, that big, goofy smile on his face. "You know I'd always wait for you guys. I mean, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

"One not worth promising anything to," Riku said easily, voice keen, then smiled, words becoming softer, gentler. "But yeah. I promise, too. I'd probably wait forever."

Kairi felt a warmth spread in her chest, the day somehow brighter, fuller than before. Sure, they would be leaving each other, but they had promised. And it was a different promise than one they would have made when they were younger. Back then, they would have said that they would go searching for each other, or be there if one needed the others. But things were a little different now. They trusted each other, and themselves. So they knew they would all come home one day…no matter what happened, or what they had to do.

What they were really promising was that they would continue to **believe **in each other, during whatever days were to come.

"…and I meant it, too," Kairi murmured, coming out of her revere and shaking her head, hair falling about her shoulders. It was just past shoulder-length, now…she would have to cut it when she got back home. "Now, all I can do is…wait."

And waiting here _sucked. _She'd been waiting a few days already. It took a while to reach Hollow Bastion, after all, and as fast as this ship was—and even though there were a few warp areas along the way—it would still be a while longer before they arrived. Sora and Riku would probably be in the Magic Kingdom a day or two before she even set foot outside this ship. Which meant that she needed something…anything to do.

Glancing around a moment before getting to her feet, Kairi brushed off her skirt—blue, white, and gray plaid, this time—and straightening her white button-down shirt afterwards. This was casual for her; the knee socks and loafers were hardly suited for travel, anyway. She would probably have to change into something more formal when they reached the Bastion, though Kairi was _still _in the dark about what would be happening when she got there. Still, she had the appropriate skirts/pants/whatever to wear, just in case, though she hoped it wouldn't come to something like that.

Truthfully, she vaguely wished she wasn't here at all.

"But wishing never solves anything, does it, Kairi?" She asked out loud, then sighed, leaving her bags and various effects behind as she exited her room, mumbling under her breath the directions to the bridge.

While not _huge _by any means, the Gummi ship wasn't too terribly small, either, despite her earlier comment. There was the bay that held the smaller ground ship, quarters for at least fifteen crewmembers, and about that same amount of passengers. It had a cargo bay as well, and a small galley/lounge, with the bridge positioned at the front. They hallway system was simple enough, with signs and arrows pointing in the right direction. And in multiple languages, which was nice. Cid must have picked up on theirs when she and Sora stayed with him in Traverse Town…

"Oh, good evening, Kairi," Citan said as she walked in, looking up as soon as he heard the door swish aside. He was in the pilot's seat, an elaborate console blinking and humming quietly in front of him. What he had called the 'viewscreen', set above the console, was showing a more centered version of what she had seen outside her window, a rainbow haze of faded, iridescent colors, speckled with stars in the background. Serge was lounging in the seat beside him, feet propped up on the console, but he jerked upright as soon as Kairi came in. "Do you require anything?"

"Well…," she began with a smile, taking one of the four or so chairs behind them. These seats had smaller, separate consoles, though what they were for, she didn't know. "Some company would be nice. No offense, but there isn't much to do."

"That is true," Citan said, returning her smile. "We have blueprints and designs for larger cruisers, complete with 'entertainment' areas…but finding funding and materials for projects that involved is hard to come by currently."

"Oh?" Kairi questioned, tilting her head. "Why is that? I mean, if you don't mind me asking…"

Citan shook his head, gaze kind. "Not at all. At the moment, areas of our world—and Hollow Bastion—are still being rebuilt and expanded. Not only that, but certain members of the council do not see…ah, the point of having advanced spacecraft. Because of the Heartless and the destruction that ensued—as well as King Ansem's betrayal—they believe that closing off our planet to other worlds would be beneficial. We certainly can't create walls in the manner King Mickey does, but there are other ways to force isolation."

Kairi's brow furrowed as he finished, concern flickering across her features. "…is that really such a good idea? I mean, the King has good reason, from what you told me…but is cutting yourselves off like that something you really want to be doing?"

"There's a big debate going on, actually," Serge put in, looking sheepish for a moment, but continuing. "All the noble families, and the public in general, are getting involved. Some want to be isolated, some don't, others like to comment on how stupid the argument is…it's a big mess."

That didn't sound like good news at all, and Kairi had a sneaking suspicion that her being 'summoned' had to do with this debate. After all, being a Princess of Heart that had been imprisoned at the Bastion, she had seen Ansem and Maleficent first hand, found the Heartless…

…though she had to wonder: why hadn't they summoned Sora and Riku instead? Wouldn't Keybearers be the better choice if someone wanted information and opinions?

Unable to find a suitable answer on her own, Kairi decided to voice her thoughts. Citan and Serge seemed pretty nice, after all, and had offered her whatever information she had asked for thus far…

"Um, I can't help but think that I might somehow get involved in this debate thing…," she began, pausing a bit, hoping for a confirmation.

She got one, Citan looking a little grave. "More than likely. As we said before, we don't know the details, but taking in current events and your status…it is the most obvious reason. I am sorry if this makes you uncomfortable…"

It did, but Kairi knew better than to say so. "It's alright. But then I have to ask…why didn't this council summon Sora and Riku, too? I mean, I know they have to go to the Magic Kingdom right now, but I got the impression that they weren't even under consideration when the summons were issued."

Citan's eyes darkened again, and Serge looked away. It was Citan who spoke, of course, though his voice was a little keener than Kairi had heard it thus far. She was getting the definite impression that, while pleasant and companionable as a whole, Citan had a lot going on behind that smile of his. "This may come as a surprise, but Keybearers are not well-trusted on our world."

Kairi stared at him, baffled. She knew she must have looked silly, but she couldn't help it. "…why?"

_I mean…why would anyone not trust a Keyblade Master? Haven't they always…?_

…wait, no. Hadn't Sora told her one time that some people did **not **see it that way? And she could faintly recall, from that time she had spent safe in his heart, what happened at Atlantica…he'd been told a Keybearer brought destruction and ruin. He'd been mistrusted…as he and Riku were obviously being mistrusted by Hollow Bastion right now. But Leon and Aerith and Cid had trusted Sora…and they'd been from Hollow Bastion.

_I don't…understand…_

Citan was in the process of answering her, however, and Kairi stopped her worried train of thought to listen. "It is a mix of things, actually. And please understand, not everyone at Hollow Bastion feels this way."

"That's right!" Serge put in, perhaps a bit too earnestly. He was looking slightly flustered, as if ashamed of the fact that his people didn't appear to have any faith in Kairi's friends. "I mean, Lady Gainsborough is always on the Keybearers' sides at the council meetings…"

_Lady Gainsburough? He means…Aerith, doesn't he? _Kairi blinked. _She's a noblewoman?_

It occurred to Kairi then that a lot of people she'd met might actually be very important on their own worlds…and suddenly she felt very conflicted. Small and large at the same time. Insignificant in the face of people who obviously had so much influence over their world…and then much, much more important, because she had helped to decide the fate of _many _worlds. It was like the problem Sora had. They both knew what they were, but they couldn't really seem to _comprehend _what that entailed…

Only Riku seemed to. And it…it made him sad.

"But as for not trusting the Keybearers to begin with," Citan continued, once again unaware when Kairi's thoughts went off on a tangent. "It comes from a combination of recent events, and occurrences once thought to be myth. Obviously, the former king's obsession with the Keyblades, and Kingdom Hearts, has turned a some of the populace against the idea of them in general. The belief is that—regardless of the fact that Keybearers were able to stop Ansem and restore the worlds—if they have nothing to do with the Keyblade Masters, such disastrous events will not happen again."

Kairi's brows furrowed, a hand massaging at the base of her throat a tad uncomfortably. "That…doesn't really solve the problem, though. Even if Keybearers weren't around, there would still be Heartless…" she paused, wondering if it would be prudent to mention the Soulless. And then immediately realized—not that she hadn't known in the first place—that it would be best to keep such information to herself. "…so, it makes more sense to trust them, because bad things happen, regardless."

Citan nodded his agreement, pausing a moment to push his spectacles a little further up his nose. "A very astute observation, and one made often during the council meetings. However, the counter to that is the reasoning that the Keyblade itself attracts Heartless, the creatures hunting their Bearers relentlessly. Which, admittedly, is true."

There was a bit of silence, then, Kairi looking down at the hands fisted in her lap. "…yes. A Keyblade is a double-edged sword, in the end…I can see their point, even if I don't agree with it. If a Keybearer is…is strong enough to keep the darkness at bay, it shouldn't matter how much they are…hunted."

_Silly Kairi. Of course it matters. Look what it did to them…to you. Sora's stuck with two sides of himself, and Riku can't even smile without some kind of sorrow in it. None of us are the same anymore…even if we _are _strong._

Because what was strong if not hanging on to who you were, despite all the changes? She still…felt like _Kairi_, even if there was great, unknown power sleeping quietly within her.

"Another valid point," Citan said in response to her words, though he was giving her a particular look, one she was beginning to recognize. A glance that said 'I know there's more to it, but I will let you keep it to yourself…for now'. It was…somewhat disconcerting, but then, Citan was obviously an intelligent man. Just how long _could _it be before he discerned something out of place? "Which makes it easy to see why the arguments often go in never-ending circles."

"But…," Kairi began again, feeling like she was adding fuel to the proverbial fire. Each question and observation made her feel more acutely the things she had been trying to forget—or at least ignore—over the last two years. "But you said it was more than recent events. What did you mean by 'myth'…?"

"Ah, that," Citan pursed his lips, arms crossed with one finger taping at his bicep. Positioned that way, the fabric of his sleeve pulled tight against his arm, and Kairi felt her brows shoot up at the hard, well-defined outline of muscle. Now was hardly the time to be noticing…but why would a doctor have a fighter's honed physique? "I suppose it has to be regarded as more history than myth now. There have always been various texts and historical recordings having to do with Keybearers on our world. Apparently, a pair of Keyblade Masters were born on our planet at one time, though exactly _when _is hard to discern."

Kairi had to digest that one for a while, face thankfully composed while her mind turned that information over and over in her head. The _idea _of previous Keybearers had always been present, yes…after all, where would any prior knowledge of the mystical weapons have come from if there hadn't been people who carried them before Sora and Riku? And from what Sora had told her, he'd actually _met _the hearts of two past Bearers…

But Kairi herself had never confronted this sort of thing before, and accepting it was…a little hard.

_…though it's really very childish of me to feel like we're not so special anymore._

"Everybody's always known about it, actually," Serge spoke up suddenly, as sheepish as ever, a hand tugging at the red bandanna now back on his head. "It's like a fable, or a bedtime story. Kakios and Athanasios, twins of ice and fire, keepers of glass and stone. The glass and stone stuff being the Keyblades, that is…since the Keyblade is supposed to be unique to whoever's using it."

Filigrees of gold and metal, the shine of crystal wings and gem-like stars flashed briefly in her mind, the recollection of Sora's Soul's Court and Riku's Heart's Kingdom Keyblades still vividly clear, even though the boys had not used them since that fateful battle against Aros. Unique indeed.

Citan picked up for Serge, pausing briefly to give his console a quick once-over before continuing. "However, once Ansem's madness began to take real form, it was realized that the texts—which he had by that time confiscated and hidden away—were indeed true. Which, considering the context and outcome of the story concerning those twins, was not a good thing."

Kairi blinked, faintly surprised. She knew the Keyblades brought hardship, but still…didn't things usually turn out alright?

_…no. No, they didn't. From what Sora told me…from what those former Keybearers told **him**…things have never been alright. The other Keyblade Masters, however many of them there have been, they never got as far as Sora and Riku did. They…they always failed._

Kairi abruptly realized that her sentiment of them being 'not-so-special' was completely wrong. And just as abruptly, Sora and Riku were positioned atop a grand pedestal, all alone and uncertain if that pedestal would continue to stand so steady. Citan must have noticed her distress, his voice lower, kinder, though not any less serious. Serge was completely upright in his seat again, glancing uncomfortably at Kairi, probably unhappy over the effect the 'truth' of his world was having on her.

"As the tale goes, Kakios and Athanasios started out much as Sora did. The Heartless appeared, they received their weapons, and they waged war against the darkness. It continued this way for some time, actually, the brothers having their shares of adventures and trails, defeats and victories. The sequence of events might even be called 'normal'…as normal as being a Keyblade Master could possibly be. They may have even reached Kingdom Hearts itself at once point…but before this is made clear, disaster apparently strikes."

_Doesn't it always? _Kairi thought, unable to quash the traitorous words before they surfaced in her mind. She beat them back as best she could, at least, and kept her focus on what Citan was saying.

"Inexplicably, their entire drive, their purpose, changed. They no longer fought the Heartless, whatever meager amount of Heartless there was left at this time, at least. Instead, they began a frantic search for something, though _what _exactly they refused to tell anyone. They had gained a kind of hidden knowledge from…somewhere, and, much as it was in Ansem's case, it seemed to drive them mad. However, the final straw, so to speak, came when they began killing innocent people without any apparent reason at all."

_…w-what? **Killing**? But why…?_

…that couldn't happen to Sora and Riku…

Kairi's fists tightened in the fabric of her skirt.

__

…could it?

"And while it is doubtful that all of this is _entirely _true," Citan added, almost hastily, having obviously seen the expression on Kairi's face. "The implications of it are enough for at least half of the council to be opposed to remaining open to other worlds and Keybearers in general."

"…which is…understandable…," Kairi forced out, wondering if it had really been a good idea to learn this. Ignorance might very well have been bliss…but it was too late now. "Although it doesn't make it any less…sad."

Citan inclined his head toward her, glasses glinting faintly in the artificial light. "But that is the situation, at least in summarized form. However sad it may be, knowing it before hand spares you some time and trials once we actually reach Hollow Bastion."

Blinking, Kairi looked up at him again. That was…a very intelligent observation. Better that she get a handle on her feelings now, with people who apparently would not judge her, rather than total strangers who would probably not be very forgiving at all. A smile found its way onto her face, despite the dire situation she had suddenly realized she was going into it.

"Thank you, then," she said softly, feeling it was well justified.

"You are welcome," Citan said at once, returning her smile. Beside him, Serge offered her another one of his uncertain—though very bright—smiles, looking very at odds with the black markings on his face. She remembered what Sora had told her, how Serge mentioned 'dark blades', and an older brother, and special warriors of some kind…but she suddenly found she was a bit too tired to ask.

_I guess it's what I get, for asking those kinds of questions…_

She stood, stretching a bit as she did so. "Well, I guess I'll head back to my room and get some more sleep." Lame-sounding, but Kairi couldn't think of anything better.

Citan, however, seemed to understand, which she was beginning to expect. He was just…that kind of person. "That is fine. We should arrive in less than half a day."

"That's…," Kairi trailed off, unable to say the 'good' that hovered on her tongue. "…that's fine."

_Here's hoping I can handle it._

****

……………

Kairi liked to think she handled it just fine. Except for the obligatory gaping as the Losstarot descended through the clouds, giving her a view of Hollow Bastion the likes of which she had never seen before. The actual structure was there, yes…but _around _it was something to behold. Mainly because there had literally been _nothing _there before, and now there was…everything. An entire city **floated **serenely above the Rising Falls, spiraling, ornate buildings so similar and yet so different from the Bastion stretching towards the sky.

Citan's explanation? It could all be moved. It floated, after all.

They were…beyond anything she had seen before. The Bastion's architecture was duplicated many times over, yet altered as well, made unique for each building. Spires and towers seemed to twist strangely, yet gracefully, bridges and roads and odd, narrow train tracks twisting and twining between the massive structures, glass and gold and polished metal reflecting the bright sunlight that pierced the scattered clouds. Faceted windows, and curling statues adorned every corner, ever surface; strong men bearing curved swords towards the sky; winged women cupping gleaming orbs to their chests; even strings of children holding slender trumpets to their lips.

And everywhere, _everywhere_, the motif of a silhouette heart—though thankfully without the crisscrossing bands that marked the Heartless—could be found. Although…they weren't terribly obvious. Kairi suspected that, if she wasn't so used to seeing it, hadn't **looked **for it so many days of her life, she would not have noticed. They were small things, placed in unassuming locations on the statues, or within more intricate motifs on the windows…perhaps even embossed faintly on the walls themselves. But they were there. And even though the moving, floating city, with it's gleaming trains and gravity-defying roadways, the grand verandas and balconies that could probably hold thousands of people—and actually were at the moment, in some cases—the splendor and grander far beyond anything she had ever seen, stretched from nearly one horizon to the other, she could guess that that little heart shape dominated it all.

_So I really…don't know what to think_. Kairi admitted to herself as the Losstarot was steered towards great, flat expanses near the Bastion—which looked inexplicably larger, floating sections and added towers flared around and above it like a winged crown, all bronze and golden fire in the sun, tinged with the pale lilac and rose that was the actual stone form of the building. _If they don't want anything to have to do with things like Heartless and Keybearers…being so closely tied to hearts…why would the heart itself be repeated so many times in their city?_

However, thinking about it seriously was beyond her at the moment. Kairi was just…just trying to _absorb _the massive changes that she saw, the immensity of a world far different from her small island home. She seriously doubted if the population from the entire island chain back home could fill even one of those tall, regal buildings, much less the Bastion itself. And this…was only one city? Of course there was more…everything hovered over the Rising Falls, so there was no land to grow food, or provide things like paper, cloth, _material _supplies…

…so there _was _more. An entire world, united into one kingdom, ruled by one king…or one council, at least at this time. And _that_…was the hardest thing for Kairi to wrap her mind around. Her home was just one small part of a hodgepodge of nations and kingdoms and principalities and whatever else. Sometimes they made peace, sometime they made war, sometimes they just ignored each other altogether…but there were still many. Still countless individuals. Not…just one.

_…I guess that's why Hollow Bastion looks this way. Why there's an entire city that can be moved in case of danger…in case of civil war. It's not just the capital for one country, one kingdom…it's the capital for a whole world._

Abruptly, Kairi felt deeply, poignantly homesick.

"We're here!" Serge announced proudly, gazing out the viewscreen at the landing pad with a triumphant smile on his face. "And in record time, too. And look! A welcoming party!"

Unable to help herself, Kairi looked as well, squinting at the figures that were rather…small on the screen. She still didn't have a good estimate of the actual size of the Losstarot…she got the sneaking suspicion that her initial assumption of 'small' was grossly mistaken. And if so, just how big _were _the intended 'cruisers'?

_Tangent, Kairi_, she quickly reminded herself, and resumed peering, seeing five figures, two slimmer and smaller than the others, female rather than male. Hair…black and short; brown and long; shoulder length and dark; swept back and pale; and one that was bright yellow, and crazily spiked.

A soft smile found its way onto her lips, and Kairi got quickly to her feet. "Which way to the exit again?"

Citan, having noticed her reaction, stood as well, gesturing with a hand for her to follow him, the corners of his eyes crinkling with mirth. "Right this way, Kairi."

Time warped strangely then, Kairi suddenly finding herself walking down an inclined platform towards the level ground of the landing pad, not really sure how'd she'd gotten there. Not that it mattered terribly, really. Her homesickness had faded into excitement and a kind of contented happiness, feelings she always got when seeing old friends. It had been four years, after all, and she had come to know these people very well, at least during the time she had waited for Sora to return from his battle against Ansem. So, really, these were faces worth seeing.

As, apparently, was hers.

"KAAAIRI!" A happy, equally excited voice exclaimed as a slender young woman not much taller than her enveloped her in a monstrous hug, sunlight flashing happily off the large, ornate weapon strapped to her back. A Conformer, Kairi recalled, Yuffie having proudly shown it to her during one of their many evenings in Traverse Town. "I've missed you so much! How've you been? How's Sora? How's that unsociable buy with the weird hair? And I don't mean Cloud, of course!"

Gleaming blue eyes narrowed at the ninja, the 'unsociable' guy walking up behind her, Aerith close at his side. They looked…mainly the same, changes not as evident as they were on Yuffie. Yuffie appeared older, moreso than they, taller and more graceful, thin arms and legs filled out with muscle, yet graceful, faintly feminine…which she was no-doubt trying to hide with her usual boyish clothes, all straps and metal and hidden weapons. Aerith, on the other hand, wore a practical, rose-colored dress with the ease of long practice, a darker red jacket covering her shoulders. Not very different from what she had last been wearing, not really.

Cloud, on the other hand, looked completely different. Kairi had only seen him once…or several times, actually. In Traverse Town, yes…but also in the Coliseum, through Sora's eyes. He had been so much…darker then, hidden and wavering. And now…that was changed, though it was not so readily apparent. His clothing was all black and darkest blue, but simpler, more normal. Sleeveless yet form-fitting, leggings loose yet durable, armor attached to his shoulder by a kind of lion-headed clasp, something similar to the tails of a coat fluttering around his legs. The ever-present sword was strapped to his back, although…it was a different one, now. Newer, bright and gleaming, its make more 'modern', though how Kairi got that impression, she wasn't sure.

Inevitably, her eyes trailed down his left arm, expecting to see the dual mix of black and gold…but it wasn't there. Just a simple black glove, matching the one on his right.

_…I guess we'll never know what that was, then._

"It's good to see you again, Kairi," Aerith said as Yuffie finally relinquished her hold, allowing the older woman to give Kairi a hug as well…albeit a more restrained one.

"Same here," Kairi replied, smile almost hurting her cheeks.

"Well, that's good!" A gruff voice proclaimed, instantly recognizable as Cid Highwind, Gummi mechanic and spear-user. Kairi turned to greet him as well…and stopped dead, staring.

After a few minutes of this, Cid fidgeted uncomfortably…unusual for him, but so was the pristine white lab coat he was wearing. "…what? I have something on my face?"

"No! No, it's just…," Kairi trailed off, trying to think of something to say. Behind her, Citan chuckled, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know. It is usually difficult to accept certain things about Professor Highwind, but it becomes easier with time."

Cid glowered, growling in Citan's general direction. "_Don't_ start that again, Uzuki…"

Kairi honestly hadn't believed Sora when he'd told her about Cid. But now…well, there was the evidence right in front of her. She tried to make up for her astonishment, managing a grin. "I think you look very nice…Professor."

Cid glowered more, then sighed, rubbing against the strap of the goggles _still _atop his head. "I guess that's fine. And hey, it's still always nice to see ya, Kairi, even if yer makin' fun of my outfit." He crossed his arms, muttering under his breath. "And it's not like I _want _to wear this getup…stupid union rules…"

Kairi giggled, unable to help it, but blinked a bit as Leon came up to stand silently beside Cloud. He hadn't changed much, either…his hair was longer, and his clothing was slightly different, a newer jacket with mainly the same make, and pants and boots with a more 'uniform' air to them. He still had his Gunblade, sheathed at his side rather than at his back like Cloud's weapon. About the only really noticeable thing was an embroidered patch over the right side of his chest. A silhouette heart, just like on the buildings…and now that Kairi looked again, there was such a heart on the back of Cloud's left glove, on the sleeve of Cid's lab coat. And she didn't doubt that there were such marks on Yuffie and Aerith's clothing…somewhere.

_I wonder…what it means. Is it just a symbol that they live here? That they work for the city, or something?_

…probably. And really, Kairi, always looking into things…it's going to get you into trouble someday.

"Welcome back to Hollow Bastion," Leon said, almost solemnly, but Kairi knew where to look now to find his faint smile. There was a ghost of such an expression on Cloud's face as well—or so it looked to her—and Yuffie came back around for another big hug.

"Yeah!" The ninja amended brightly. "We wish it could be under better circumstances, but…well…"

Kairi looked at her a moment, seeing the hesitation, and couldn't help but question it. "You guys…do you know why I was…um, summoned?"

It was Aerith who nodded, gentle face settling into a slightly more serious tone. "Yes. I'm sorry Dr. Uzuki wasn't given any information to tell you, but we were asked that we wait until you got here."

_…oh boy._

"Wait to tell me what, then?"

"LITTLE SISTER!"

Before Kairi could get out another word, or even process what that shrill, excited yell meant, a person she didn't know all but tackled her to the ground, strawberry blond hair, tinged with a deeper red, smacking her in the face as a pair of surprisingly strong—though pale—arms locked around her neck.

"I've been looking for you for such a long time!" The person continued, Kairi realizing that that high, insistent voice could only be female. The girl—only a year older than her at the most—pulled back, bright, excited blue-green eyes staring back into her own. "I'm Reena Tycoon, you're older sister!"

And Kairi could think of absolutely nothing to say.

****

……………

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Next Chapter: A Lonely Pedestal

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Characters: Yuna, Auron – _Final Fantasy X_, Cliff Fitter – _Star Ocean: 'Til the End of Time_, Cielo – _Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga_, Serge – _Chrono Cross_, Citan Uzuki – _Xenogears_, Reena Tycoon – _Final Fantasy V_

****

Stuff on Sora's Shirt: Look around for the translation of the KH song "Destati" 


	5. A Lonely Pedestal

**AN:** College…IS _CRAZY_. That is all. Also, I still don't have a job. But! Here be the next chapter, which I like to call…THE EXPOSITION CHAPTER: SORA AND RIKU EDITION. More action coming soon, I swear, since you can obviously see things starting to develop. Plus, the outline for later chapters is coming together as we speak…or rather, as I work on it in class when I have the time. Still! Things are progressing, changing, growing, and all that rot. Expect much, if at a slow pace!

Oh! And you get the reason why I described all their clothes during the festival! Not that it's a very big deal, but eh, perhaps it shall be more important later.

**Viktor Mayrin: **I bought the _Final Fantasy: Anthology _version of FFV (and FFVI), and they had her name as Reena, so that's what I used! And as for Farris…we-ell, I shall keep that information to myself for the moment.

**Squeak: **…I never did apologize for mixing up you and your sister. Whyyyyyyyy am I so forgetful? I hadn't done that in, like…months! I shall have to make the fic fantastic as my apology!

**Karimon: **My Neopets name be Mirriem! And I'm pretty sure my pets are, like…super hungry by now, considering I haven't been able to get on for…at least a couple of months.

**Luthien-Ikari:** I _do _still plan on revising _Court of Souls_…but considering I can barely find the time to write _this _fic during college, it may be a long while before I can work on CoS again.

**……………**

**Reign of Dreams**

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

"He always said that just once, he'd like to dress up like a girl."

…Aerith Gainsborough, _Final Fantasy VII_

……………

****

Chapter IV: A Lonely Pedestal

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"…no."

"Are we there yet?"

"…NO!"

"…are we there yet?"

"…I SAID _NO_! AAARGHH!"

Sora wisely ascended a bit higher and out of Riku's way as the silver-haired Bearer lunged at Animus, spouting obscenities. The White Shadow, roaring with laughter, zipped back and forth out of his reach, the difference between their flight patterns much like the difference between an eagle and a fly. A very pissed-off eagle and an extremely smug fly. Sora was having to bite down hard on his lip to keep from laughing, too.

"It was just an honest question, Maaaaaster!" Animus mock-wailed, happily flipping end over end, white, red-speckled light streaming out in his wake. A comet's tail, really, nevermind that they weren't really comets. They all had one, though Sora really wasn't sure why.

"I've told you before! Don't call me that!" Riku roared back, wings beating furiously to catch him, the light from his white and black tail flaring with his anger. _That _phenomenon had led Sora to guess that the light had to do with their hearts…but then, Anima and Animus didn't have hearts. Maybe just their moods, then? Their 'being'? The two Heartless had souls, too, so it might have been that…

"But that's what you aaaaare!" Animus countered, continuing his wailing and whining, red eyes dancing with mirth and enjoyment. He twirled away from Riku's windmilling arms, the hazy nebulae of the Gummi dimension scattering in his wake. For some reason or another—Sora was pondering many reasons during the course of this trip, mainly to avoid busting a gut while watching Riku and Animus—they were traveling in the same kind of pseudo-space that Gummi ships traveled.

The only kicker was he was pretty sure they hadn't flown this way before…but then, the Soulless had been rampant then. Maybe it had just been too much darkness to see past…?

"That still doesn't mean you can call me that!" Riku spat, looking frazzled, batting a stray starburst away from his face and grinding his teeth together. "But if I really _am _that, then stop running and let me kill you in peace!"

"Can't kill a Heartless, Master!" Animus crowed, now floating on his back with his clawed hands behind his head, drifting teasingly back and forth just out of Riku's reach. "Not in any kind of normal way, at least. Too bad for you!"

Sora was pretty sure Riku glared bloody murder, even though no one could see it. Really, that blindfold was inconvenient at times…but Riku couldn't have taken it off here even if he'd wanted to. He said the intensity of the light and darkness on just a world was bad enough, but space and the universe as a whole? _Way _too much for his mind to handle. Riku'd suffer something worse than a headache, so best to leave the blindfold and just try to second guess what his expressions were. Which Sora was getting very good at, actually.

"We need to continue," Anima suddenly spoke up, voice soft and calm like always. Despite that, Sora jerked in surprise, turning to stare at the Black Shadow floating just a little ways behind them. She hadn't said much of anything during the entire trip, more silent than ever as they made their way slowly through space, actual planets and astral bodies visible through the sheen of the Gummi dimension.

Riku turned slightly, feathers fluttering as he gave her a long look. "…is something wrong, Anima? You've been acting weird since the festival…and it's not a good idea to hide things."

"I know," she replied calmly, shoulders tilting forward as she began to move again, flowing smoothly past them. "But it is no more than a suspicion…a sense. And you already know it."

"Err, I don't think—" Sora began, then stopped, realizing she was right. He hadn't noticed it really until Citan and Serge's arrival, but he knew it now. That…wrongness. Not darkness, not emptiness, nothing like anything he'd felt thus far…just wrong. It made him feel restless, as if there was something he _needed _to be doing, even if he had no idea what. He would think of his dream again, of the voice that warned him that there wasn't any **time**. Now that he was actively thinking about it, Sora could at least agree with that man, whoever he had been.

Something, somehow, was wrong with time.

After a long pause, Sora sighed, wings resuming their steady rhythm as he went after her, nervously tightening the straps from his bag that crisscrossed over his chest. They'd been going non-stop for a couple days now, with the exceptions of a few pit stops to eat, and sleep, and go the bathroom…hopefully on a world technologically advanced enough to have something resembling toilets. Things had been sailing smoothly so far, with no one noticing them and, if they had, their escape being quick enough to avoid too many complications. They had to be getting close to the King's world by now, and Anima had confirmed as much earlier. It was a good thing, too.

If Sora didn't quit thinking and wondering and, most of all, reminiscing soon, he was gonna go nuts.

_"Did you pack enough socks?" _

"…socks?"

"Yeah, socks. Your feet sweat like they're dying. You'll need a lot of socks."

"…no I won't!"

"Trust me, you will," Toshiro finished with a smirk, grabbing a few extra pairs of socks and stuffing them in Sora's already almost-full bag. "When you have the luxury of being able to actually pack_ before leaving home, you want to cover all the essentials." _

"Essentials like…socks," Sora commented, deadpan, then sighed, rubbing his forehead. "But…yeah. You're right. The last time I got to prepare for this kind of thing was…well, never."

"So listen to your big brother for once!" Toshiro gave Sora a firm poke in the ribs, skillfully dodging the 'brotherly' punch in return. "My advice? Pack socks, non-perishable foods, shiny things, rope, and something that cuts."

Sora lifted a brow at that last bit, and Toshiro had the good grace to blush a little in embarrassment. "Okay, with a Keyblade, I guess your cutting, smashing, and intimidating factors are already taken care of. I'm just saying…expect everything. And nothing."

"Everything and nothing. Sage advice, 'Ro."

"No snide remarks!" Toshiro commanded reprimandingly, though Sora had the sense to duck the smack. "You can make all the comments you want, but it's true. If you act _like you're expecting the world to fall down around you, it will. And I know that that's already happened to you…," Toshiro's eyes darkened a little, some of the humor leaving his expression. "…but it'll happen a lot faster if you're waiting for it. Be alert, yeah, just don't let the doom and gloom take over your life. Soon as you give the darkness an opening, it'll rush in a lot quicker than you would ever believe." _

"…you'd be surprised about that," Sora murmured in return after a few silent moments, looking away as he rubbed a hand through his hair. His head felt so much lighter now…in preparation for the trip, both he and Riku had suffered under his mother's skilled scissors. So now, while the front of his hair spiked just as it always had—well, perhaps not just _like; the spikes were thinner now, longer, sleeker—the back was short and didn't stick up at all. Riku, on the other hand, looked almost…normal. A curtain of mid-length bangs over his face, partially hiding the blindfold, the rest in a casual, easy cut reaching just past his ears. _

"…yeah, probably."

Sora blinked, looking up as Toshiro nudged him with his elbow. "But that doesn't mean I'll stop giving you advice. It's my job as your big brother…and about the only one I can still do. You grew up while I wasn't looking, 'Ra."

Sora blinked again and, inexplicably, felt a hint of pink creep across his cheeks. Honestly, hearing that _from his brother was something that he'd never thought he would. Not after…certain things… _

Toshiro, meanwhile, grinned and grabbed Sora's bag, stuffing in whatever other essentials he saw fight to add. "So you know, just remember to think before you open your mouth, don't eat anything that nobody else is eating, and don't forget that you have a girlfriend every time something on nice legs walks by."

"…HEY!"

And Toshiro laughed, tossing back his head as he chucked Sora's bag across the room and into the Keybearer's arms, thusly cutting off any physical retaliation. "Okay, okay, I'll lay off. But I've caught you staring at Kairi's legs plenty of times…that a good spot for you?"

"…**'RO**."

The laughing didn't stop, but Toshiro smiled to go along with it, bravely coming over and slipping his arm around Sora's shoulders. "Hey, it's just fine, what you two have. I wasn't there to see it develop, and I'm sorry about that…but I can still tell. It bugs me that you've gone through so many changes without me…without us, your family…but I want you to know we're still proud of you."

…proud? They…they're proud?

_For some reason he could not fathom, Sora was astonished by this. Absolutely astonished. And while there **were **some reasons he would think it would be otherwise—what had happened with Aros being the most obvious of them all—it still…amazed him. His family…they were proud of him. Proud that he was a Keyblade Master. Proud that he both repelled and attracted danger. Proud that he could be a threat or a savior, and always something far more than normal. _

Apparently, somewhere along the way, Sora had forgotten that people—his family included—appreciated him. But why had he…? His friends…Donald and Goofy, Ranma and Yami…individuals who knew him, trusted him, depended on him…and were thankful. That cared. That would always remember him...

But isn't it…what every kid wants? For their parents…for their siblings…to be proud of them?

_"…thanks, Toshiro," Sora said finally, brows furrowing as he tried to understand what he was feeling. He wouldn't have gone through all the trouble when he was younger, attempting to understand his heart…but he knew better now. The heart—and his domain, the soul—meant so much more than people could truly believe. "Just…thanks." _

"Anytime," Toshiro replied at once, a hand squeezing Sora's shoulder a bit before letting go. "I can't say that I like the idea of you being in danger all the time…but I know you can handle it. You've changed…and you've stayed the same. The best of both worlds, really."

Sora glanced at him again, a grin fighting its way back onto his face. "More sage advice?"

"But of course!"

"I'm thrilled."

"…are you two bonding again? 'Cause, if you are, I think I'll head back downstairs where the moderately sane people are."

"Moderately sane?" Sora commented, not at all surprised to find Riku leaning against his doorway. "Isn't that a bit tame for you?"

"…maybe," Riku allowed, stepping in and adjusting the bag already affixed to his shoulders. Both he and Sora had the same kind of travel apparatus; an oblong bag that sat between their shoulder blades, the dual straps slung across their chests. That way, they could extend their wings without hindrance, and thusly travel much more easily than they would have otherwise. "Then again, maybe not. I guess I'll just have to stay over and mooch off you more to find out."

"I'm thrilled," Toshiro commented with a roll of his eyes, unconsciously imitating Sora's words from earlier. Or rather, it was the other way around; Sora had picked up the gesture from his brother, which made perfect sense.

"Of course you are," Riku agreed, then laughed, shaking his head. "But later. Kairi's already waiting down at the docks, so we should head down, too."

Sora nodded, but paused, lifting a brow. "…so you're really gonna go in that_?" _

Riku gave him the evil eye. "Yeah. What's wrong with it?"

Well, nothing was **really **wrong with Riku's outfit…it was just not something Sora expected him to travel in. Tailored, straight-edged pants with creative stitching over knee and thigh, purely decorative straps hanging around the back, and slim, serviceable boots tucked up under the cuffs. He had two shirts, like Sora, one almost skin-tight and a storm gray in color, over which was a second long-sleeved top…although the sleeves weren't exactly normal. They went down over his hands, serving as a pair of fingerless gloves as well, though a wider strap complete with metal buckle was situated a few inches below and above his elbow, black netting stretching between and showing off the shirt underneath.

That same netting traveled from the low collar up to about the base of his jaw, the shirt itself tailored to his chest. The fabric was black, of course, though there was a stitched design just barely visible over its front. Even now, Sora couldn't quite make it out; some kind of hollowed, ornate heart, thin, frail wings flanking the crests and split bottom…it was the same silver as Riku's hair, yeah, but it was still hard to see. And there was something written below it—just like there was something written on Sora's favorite red shirt, which he was currently wearing—but that _part was tucked beneath Riku's slim, stylish belt and thusly beyond discerning as well. _

"…well, I could point out a number of things," Sora responded idly after a moment. "For one thing, it's nearly all black, 'cept for the buckles and your undershirt—"

"I'm wearing gray socks, actually."

"—it doesn't look like it could stand a week's worth of walking—"

"The boots and belts are mountain Chocobo hide, and the rest is woven with mythril thread, just like **your** stuff."

"—no one's gonna take a Keybearer who looks like something out of a fashion magazine seriously—"

"Better than waders and clown shoes."

"—and we don't match," Sora finished lamely, glowering at Riku, who only shrugged.

"Since when did that matter? You've got your style, I've got mine, and it's not like I ever complained about being stuck with a fashionably-challenged partner," Riku smirked in triumph at Sora's increased glower, then shifted to a smile, shaking his head. "And besides, you look fine. Go with what you're comfortable with, right? Your favorite pants, the shirt Kairi gave you, an undershirt like mine, and that coat…which is nice, by the way."

"…yeah, it is," Sora said proudly, somewhat mollified, as he glanced at the trenchcoat hanging on his door. Long enough to reach down to his shoes, it was a deep, navy blue in color, all billowing edges, large pockets, and numerous straps, tarnished gold, crown-shaped buckles—matching the ones on the back of his gloves—winking brightly here and there. But, more than just looking good, it was functional, threaded with mythril for durability—just like all _his clothes, even his shirt—and waterproof. Surprisingly, Riku's coat—the same long, deep gray one with the hood that he'd had since he'd met back up with Sora and Kairi—was much the same, save in style. _

But why all the coats and extra layers of clothing? Well, according to the message Hollow Bastion had received, the Magic Kingdom was currently in the middle of its winter. So, they had to dress accordingly. Or as close as they could, anyway. Sora wasn't sure how his boots—low-cuffed and thickly made with solid, yet thin soles—would stand up to snow, being designed for the wet and wear of the high seas.

"But, fashion contests aside, is there anything else you guys need?" Toshiro put in, looking between them. "You already say your good-byes, Riku?"

"Yeah," the silver-haired Bearer replied with a nod. "Grandma and Grandpa send their regards. Oh, and they want you to look at their attic roofing; they say the beetles are nesting there again."

Toshiro sighed in a long-suffering way, though there was a laugh in the back of his eyes. "I'll check it out the next chance I get. Nice to know I'll be keeping myself busy while waiting for you guys to come back."

Sora grinned, giving his brother a friendly punch in the shoulder. "We'll be back before you know it. And I'll stick to your deep wisdom, 'Ro."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Sora continued with a nod, slinging his coat over his shoulders, then his bag soon after. "I won't expect anything terrible…but I'll be ready for it."

"That's my little bro," Toshiro replied with a smile. "Just don't go fallin' anywhere I can't reach, alright?"

"…I won't," Sora murmured to himself, immersed in his memories once again. There was little else to do right now, really, besides remember …he could run completely on autopilot, following the shadowed shape of Anima in front of him. Wings beating slowly, steadily, stars and clouded colors drifting past, body enveloped with the soothing warmth of his power…

…it was funny, then, how easy it was to remember other things besides the day they'd left. Funny how he could recall places that were nothing like this, that were cold and dank and dark, where he was small and weak rather than grown and strong. It had been such a long time ago…long before the Keyblade came. Before he'd become…this. A hero, savior, a person of legend…someone he couldn't quite understand, even now. To his mind, he was still that small, fragile self, crying in the dark, waiting for his brother—for _anyone_—to find him.

The self he was before he met Kairi. That part of him that was still there…without her…

_Why…am I thinking of this now? Why does it matter? It's stupid, almost, how quickly I can go from remembering a few nice words that 'Ro said to remembering something that happened when I was six. I must be crazier than Riku. _

…and that's pretty damn crazy.

"Hey, Sora."

"…hmm?" Sora murmured distractedly, arms relaxed at his sides, eyes fixed ahead, feathers shifting against each other with soft, musical sounds.

"Quit thinking. Your expression is distracting the hell out of me."

Sora blinked, uncomprehending for a moment, then turned his head and narrowed his eyes at Riku. "…what? Who told you to look at my face? How many times do I have to tell you, Riku? I'm with Kairi, not you!"

Riku clutched at his chest dramatically, a pained expression beseeching the space above them. "Noooo! All my hopes and dreams, gone in an instant! How you break my fragile heart…"

Despite the melancholy of his thoughts, Sora laughed, smirking. "You know I've always been a heartbreaker, Riku. Are you just now realizing it?"

"He was in denial!" Animus piped up, zipping over to fly between them. "You know, I hear him talk in his sleep sometimes…ooooh, the things he saaaays…"

Slowly, Riku turned his gaze toward Animus, expression deadpan. "…you know, eventually we'll be planetside, and I _will _catch you."

Animus paused at that, mulling it over. "Well…I guess I can hold back…but just a bit! Only as long as we're here, anyway."

"…you mean when we get there."

Animus shook his head, pointing with a claw to the space ahead of him. "No, I mean as long as we're here. Anima's already stopped. We made it."

Both Bearers stared at him for a moment, then followed the direction that he pointed, shock flickering across their features as they realized that they _were _there. A planet loomed ahead of them, massive in size, half of its surface shining brightly in the light from its sun. The near star didn't hurt their eyes, of course, being in the Gummi dimension as they were, but the sight was still beyond impressive. Sora had always been in a ship before when approaching a planet, but now…here it was, in all its glory, massive and regal and oh so humbling, even to him.

They flew nearer, the world gaining in size bit by bit, still hundreds of miles away…but 'landing' was a little different for them. They would approach, land and sea becoming distinct, foamed and ridged and deeply colored, and would then come to a threshold of sorts. A point when the second boundary, the invisible doorway, was reached. Gummi ships traveled through it, or hovered just outside it, though Sora supposed regular ships did not. Every world existed on more than one plane, after all, each one 'higher' than the last. The 'higher' they went, the more closely tied they were with such things as the heart, the soul, and the 'magic' or 'energy' of the world itself. From reality to unreality, to use broad terms.

Sora, of course, didn't even _pretend _that he understood it all. As long as it all worked right, he really didn't care. At the moment, he had far more important things on his mind, regardless of the memories that wouldn't leave him alone.

_…maybe now we'll be able to get some answers._

……………

"…damn, it's COLD!" were the first words out of Sora's mouth as they touched down, immediately clamping his wings around him for extra warmth, hands fumbling to close his coat.

"Just like they said it would," Riku commented, deadpan, shaking his head and wondering if Sora's memory was failing. Although, he tried to be as casual as possible as he lifted up the hood of his own coat, covering his already freezing ears. Maybe it was a good thing he had a blindfold? The less skin exposed to that biting wind, the better. "So…anyone see the castle? We _were _concentrating on landing somewhere near by…"

Pursing his lips, Riku surveyed the area, seeing nothing but white upon white in all directions. It was mainly tall, imposing trees—pine trees, perhaps, though Riku had only ever seen them in books before—each one smothered in layers of snow, a fresh pattering of flakes drifting slowly down from above. The sky was a solid, uniform gray, but soft, with hazy white edges, similar in color to the puffs of vapor that passed his lips with every breath. The scene was awe-inspiring in a way, especially to someone who had never seen snow outside of picture books before, but still…it was far too cold to enjoy the view.

"…so, do we start walking?"

"Sounds…like a plan…," Riku began to say, but trailed off, feeling something brush his senses. Being so in-tune with hearts gave him an edge in battle—at least against other people—in that he could sense the aura of their hearts…and see them, if his blindfold was removed. And sometimes when it wasn't… "In a bit, anyway."

"…yeah."

In the next second they were moving, the Keyblade Masters spinning away in opposite directions as arrows plunged into snow where they had just been. Anima and Animus, while likewise attacked, simply bled into the ground, Animus blending in perfectly with the snow, Anima standing out rather starkly. So it was understandable that she was the next target, figures clothed in heavy armor with fur-lined edges storming out of the forest.

Riku's eyes narrowed behind their sheath, dismissing his wings in a flurry of black and white feathers as he charged their attackers. They weren't Heartless or Soulless—they would have sensed them a lot sooner, and Anima and Animus sooner still—so there was no need for Keyblades. Instead, he leapt and spun into a kick, heel aiming for the open spot on the neck where the armor plates met. It was an easy enough target, and the first foe fell, a surprised squawk reaching his ears.

…wait, a _squawk_? And they seemed a little…short…some of them, anyway.

Riku was jerked out of his thoughts as a gauntleted fist slammed into his head from behind, the Keyblade Master barely managing to duck the spear that was jabbed towards him directly afterwards. He maneuvered around it with the ease of long practice—various Heartless had been larger than him, or had a long reach—felling another opponent with a swift jab of his fist.

_Note to self_, Riku grumbled inwardly as he ducked and spun on his heels, a shoulder slamming somewhat painfully into an armored chest to knock his opponent away. _Pay attention in battle. Save stupid questions for **after **you've kicked everybody's butt. _

That being understood, he was on his feet again a moment later, staring down the ring of opponents that had surrounded him. It made sense that they hadn't noticed them until they'd been able to pick up on the aura of their hearts (or the sounds/music their souls made, in Sora's case). The armor the thirty or so individuals were wearing was a slick, hazy silver, blending in almost perfectly with the snow that covered everything. Save for a few ruffs of some kind of puffy material—Riku wanted to say fur, but he really didn't think it was, for some reason—at the neck, elbows, wrists, waists, and ankles, they were covered entirely in metal.

_They expecting an army out here, or something? _Riku mused inwardly, aware that he might have to get a little rough if they wanted to come out of this in one piece. Six or so individuals were already scattered around them in the snow, Sora slowly stepping backwards until his shoulders pressed against Riku's. Anima and Animus flanked him on either side, the Heartless apparently unharmed…for the moment.

"I don't think they're enemies," Sora muttered lowly so that only Riku could hear.

"…and you get that impression because?"

"They're scared," Sore replied immediately, and, lifting a brow, Riku scanned the ranks of foes a little more critically, aware that he could take a closer look without them noticing. A blindfold came in handy, sometimes.

_…hnn, Sora's right. _

And indeed he was. The various spears—some with more ornate design, others simpler—aimed in their direction were shaking ever-so-slightly, the grip around the handles obviously none too sure. He could spot the puffs of air rising out of the helmets—weird helmets, with protruding faces or high crowns—at a faster rate than his own breathing. If he squinted a bit, he could even see the nervous looks in shadowed eyes.

Of course, squinting brought the _other _world into focus…the world of only black and white, of seething non-colors that were the internal make-up of all things. And, though it was somewhat unclear to Riku, he was fairly certain the rivers of light and darkness—one or the other more dominant within the various people—were moving a little _too _fast…jittery and wary. That meant scared, right…?

"So who plays fearless leader, huh…?" Riku murmured in response a moment later. "We have to stop them from doing something stupid and all that."

Though he couldn't see it, Riku had the impression that Sora grinned faintly. "Why don't you take a turn for a change? I'm sure you've gotten rusty by now."

"…gee, thanks."

Annoyance aside, Riku took a careful step forward, raising his arms in a gesture of good will. How they would take such a gesture from a figure in a dark cloak with a blindfold over his eyes and two Heartless apparently protecting him, Riku didn't know. But he had to try, didn't he? At least they only tensed, their grips tightening around their spears, rather than simply start attacking again.

"We don't mean any harm…," Riku began, wondering if he should point that _they _were the ones who'd started it, though his common sense told him it was a bad idea. "We just arrived. We're here to see the King…"

"A likely story!" one shouted immediately, a figure slightly shorter—yet slim, looking very trim in his armor—than the others speaking up as he—the voice sounded young, male—took a step forward. "You appeared out of nowhere! Anyone who knows anything knows to at least go through the proper channels. We, as the Royal Guard, won't let a bunch of strangers through!"

"…yeah," Riku replied, deadpan, then sighed, dropping his hands and ignoring the further tensing of nerves. Although, he hadn't missed the nearly-imperceptible sighs from a few of the other in the Guard at the young man's words. It seemed they were used to some…exuberance from the fellow. "Look, explaining how we travel would take…a long time. And we were _summoned_…is that proper enough?"

This seemed to stump them for a moment, until another individual—taller, older-sounding, his armor somewhat more ornate than the rest—took a step towards Riku, spearhead aimed towards the ground. "So you say you were summoned. And that your means of arriving here is explainable, however long it might take. Very well, then. Your names?"

Riku blinked, unable to help his faintly surprised words. "…what, just like that?"

Though the helmet blocked his view of this person's face, Riku thought he detected a hint of a smile in the voice. "If you were truly after the King, you would not have bothered to invent a lie about being summoned, especially if you were able to enter the castle grounds without detection. Not only that, but…are those Heartless?"

"Err…yes…," Riku answered somewhat guardedly, aware that this might get them attacked anyway. After all, considering the history of the Heartless, why would anyone allow them on their world? "Though I assure you that they're no danger, either."

Again, a smile. "It stands to reason that, if they were anything like normal Heartless, they would either be sealed in Kingdom Hearts, or attacking blindly at any heart in the vicinity."

"…point." Riku couldn't help grin and he lowered his hood, shaking out the short strands of his hair a bit before speaking again. "Well then, I'm Riku—Silverheart, if you need a last name—and this is Sora…no last name at present, but we're working on getting him more 'civilized'."

"Hey!"

Riku took the time to chuckle, but kept his eye on the Guard as various gasps of shock and surprise emitted from their helmets. Offensive positions were dropped immediately, a few of them backing up and bowing from the waist, stunned whispers floating up from all around. The older man who had spoken, however, offered a polite tilt of the head before lifting the protruded front of his helmet, revealing a canine face, red-orange fur surrounding a lighter, almost golden mask that covered deep, searching amber eyes.

Riku couldn't help his stare, inwardly grateful once again for the blindfold that hid his gaze. As it was, the man…fox…and apparent leader of the Guard spoke up, bowing more formally now that his face was exposed, though he seemed much more at ease than the others, who were obviously trying not to stare at the both of them.

"Forgive us for attacking you, but the castle is on high alert, as I am sure you have been informed, Keyblade Masters. I am Rowen of Loxley, Second Captain of the Castle Brigade, which, as Skippy here told you, is a division of the Royal Guard."

"Don't call me Skippy!" The young man—or whatever he happened to be—spoke up immediately, indignant, then seemed to realize what he'd done and lapsed into sullen silence, though not before Riku heard a few unhappy mutters. "It's _Skip_…I'm not stupid enough to be called 'skippy', unlike my dad…"

Rowen, however, seemed to ignore 'Skip' and went on, smiling a bit at the awkward looks on Riku and Sora's faces. But could he blame them? Being recognized so quickly on other worlds—besides the 'getting attacked first' part—got uncomfortable after a while… "We were patrolling the area when we heard your…group. It should have occurred to me that it was unlikely anyone else but a pair of Bearer's was capable of reaching this place."

"Unlikely? I thought the idea was otherwise, given recent…events," Riku commented almost idly, then shook his head. "Nah, forget it. But you don't have to apologize. It's understandable that your security would be tight. We should have told you who we were before, um…"

He trailed off, glancing down at the individuals still unconscious in the snow. Surprisingly, Rowen laughed. "Well, that just means more training for them. We are supposed to be the best in the Kingdom and, while a Keyblade Master is certainly an opponent to be reckoned with, losing within the first 45 seconds of battle is unacceptable."

"I suppose so," Riku replied with a half-grin. "So, if things are worked out…care to take us to the castle? I mean, it's pretty nice outside, but I'd rather not get any more snow in my shoes than I absolutely have to."

A few weak chuckles emerged in response, though Riku was fairly certain he spotted Skip's fist tighten around his spear.

_Great, a kid can't take a joke…sounds like me from five years ago. _Riku resisted the urge to shake his head, instead murmuring to Sora, who had come to stand by his side. "Thanks for offering me the lauded position, but I think you'd better stick with being the leader. Your simple-minded enthusiasm comes across better than my dry humor."

"…I'll be complimented now, but remind me to smack you later."

Riku snickered, then faced Rowen again, waiting until a few of the other knights…guards…whatever had picked up their fallen fellows. "Well, we're ready, so shall we? The castle isn't too far, right?"

Rowen nodded. "Correct. We are actually very near to the south entrance, but the trees tend to block the view. But it is nearing the evening, so it is best to return as quickly as possible."

"Amen to that," Riku muttered, following along behind Rowen—and _how _could he have not noticed the red-furred tail sticking out of the bottom of his armor before?—Sora and his 'followers' close behind.

Or as close as they could be, anyway, Animus bending his head close to Anima's, murmuring in a worried voice. "…is this what you were talking about? It feels…so bleak…"

Anima nodded, fresh snowflakes dislodged from their resting places on her dark, dark skin. "It is more than bleak."

She paused, turning her golden eyes upwards, to the sky, scanning the dim gray expanse, searching and searching for some nameless thing.

"It is gone."

……………

It was at least forty-five minutes later when Riku and Sora were shown to their rooms—room? Just one? What did they think they were, exactly?—by Rowen and Skip, though why the younger guardsman had been brought along, Riku didn't know. He'd just managed to hold in his snicker at the revelation that Skip was, indeed, a rabbit. He would laugh about it later, at least. Currently, he was being impressed with his accommodations, just as he had been impressed with the castle itself.

The design had been…almost unbelievable. Towers and walls at almost odd angles, jutting here and there yet…ordered somehow. Elegant in a way that wasn't overbearing, free in a manner that seemed beyond simple stone and tile. The coloring only added to that effect, all white with periwinkle blue poking out here and there amidst the snow that covered everything. And he _might _have been awed and left speechless by the front gate and entrance hall…if they'd come in that way.

Not that he wasn't thankful for all the sneaking around through the back hallways and service entrances. Rowen seemed to have picked up on their generally uneasy reaction to being recognized. So, after clearing the trees, and sending the rest of the Guard off to various posts—or the infirmary, in a few cases—he had led them inside himself.

"I hope these accommodations are to your liking," the fox was currently saying, requiring at least part of Riku's attention amid the gaping. "I will go to inform the King of your arrival, though how long it will take before he can see you is something I can't guess at this time."

Riku stopped his gaping abruptly, turning to stare at Rowen instead. "Hold on, back up a second…we were _summoned_ from our world, which isn't that easy of a trip, Keyblade Master abilities aside, and we have to _wait _to speak with the King? Excuse me for saying so, but that doesn't sound too right to my ears."

The apologetic smile Rowen offered him was sincere, the fox spreading his hands helplessly. "I don't blame you. I'm somewhat confused over it myself, but orders are orders, and the King can't help it when the Court is gathered."

"…Court?"

"Ah yes, you wouldn't know," Rowen said after a moment, tapping his chin with one clawed finger. "How can I explain it…"

From the doorframe, Skip grumbled, tugging on one gray ear in faint annoyance. "The Court is an assembly of all important persons in the Kingdom, or those with high enough rank and responsibility to be allowed audience with the King. It's usually only held twice a year, but considering the recent situation, this is more of an emergency gathering. Except that all they're really doing is complaining to the King and not letting him get any work done."

"…oh," was Riku's brilliant response, somewhat baffled by that kind of government system, but it wasn't his world, so it wasn't really his concern. Although it did mean he and Sora would have to wait. If this had been a few years ago, he might have been offended that people as important as the both of them were had to wait their turn, but he knew better now. So, he simply inclined his head in thanks, grinning at bit at the grudging nod Skip gave him, then turned his attention back to Rowen. "So, we have to wait here…will you come to get us when it's time?"

"I have other duties for now, so I won't be the one coming back for you," Rowen answered with a polite, apologetic smile as he backed out the door, Skip heading along ahead and looking very happy to be away from them. "But I'm sure you won't mind my replacements. Oh, and one more thing: when addressing or being addressed by the King amongst the Court, personal dress is formal only."

"What do you mean, _formal only?_" Riku shouted as the door shut, more than certain that Rowen had been smiling as he had backed out. As it was, he settled for glaring at the ornate, embossed figures on the wood—stone?—obstruction where the fox had been.

"Give it up, Riku," Sora commented with a laugh, hopping onto one of the beds and grinning in his general direction. "I mean, it makes sense, doesn't it? A royal court means people have to wear something nicer than normal, right?"

"I get _that_," Riku grumbled as he came over as well, dumping his bag on the opposite bed and at last removing his coat, stretching a bit as he did so. "What I don't get is why people aren't telling us anything. I mean, I doubt Rowen would know very much, but couldn't this have been in the message? Bring your own tuxedo, and all that. We're just damn lucky that we _did _bring 'em."

Sora nodded, still grinning as he shed his own coat, setting it reverently aside and poking around the nightstand, his face lighting up as he discovered some complimentary chocolates. "Yeah, that's for sure. Though how a royal court's gonna take our star festival outfits is anybody's guess. Still, it's better than nothing."

A nod was the only response Riku gave for a while, setting out his leggings and short vest as he shed the topmost layer of his clothes. He left the blindfold on, of course, though he supposed Sora, as well as Anima and Animus, could detect his worried look from the slant of his eyebrows. Animus was the first to speak up, poking his head out from above the canopy of Sora's bed, apparently having chosen that place as 'his' spot.

"But it still bothers you, huh? It's easy to tell."

"So I'm getting that bad?" Riku commented with a rueful smile, tugging off his shirt before sitting down on the edge of his bed. "I just don't like it. No one seems to know anything but the King, even though the fact that if we're needed for one reason or the other, it would be a really good idea to just _tell _us. But we've got nothing! So someone breached the walls. How is that significant, really? What can we do about it that the King can't? Why do we have to wait if the situation is so dire?"

There were a few more moments of silence then, the four of them obviously mulling over these questions. It was a tough situation, for certain, especially when, always at the back of their minds, was that nagging feeling that something was just wrong. An insistent little tick that was never silent; muffled, perhaps, whenever their attention was drawn to other things, but in a room like this, quiet and still, it got louder, demanding to be known. Riku still couldn't really tell what it was, though he was pretty certain it had to do with time and how there wasn't

_- hasn't been, won't be - _

enough of it.

"I can see why it bothers you, and it bothers me, too," Sora spoke up after a while, getting up from where he sat and going over to clap Riku on the shoulder. "But if we can't do anything about it right now, why let it drive us crazy? Toshiro gave me some good advice—but don't tell him I told you that—which was basically to not expect something terrible. Just be calm, and then you'll be ready for it. Or whatever answers we get in the end."

Riku lifted a brow, eyeing him a moment before grinning faintly. "I guess that's a good way to do things. But you know me. I can never get over something I can't change."

Sora sighed at that, shaking his head in a sad, sympathetic way. "I know I know…it's a tragic fact of your life. One that I have tried to change…but it's all been for nothing."

"Is that so?"

"Oh, it is!" Sora all but wailed, backing up and burying his face in his hands in despair. "Why, _why _must fate be so cruel? Why can Riku never face the world with a little levity?"

"…should I beat you with my shoe now, or later?"

A rather devious chuckle was the only response Riku got, the other Keybearer peeking through his fingers at him, blue eyes twinkling with mirth. "Oh, now might be a good time…if you can actually catch me in that."

"What?" Riku said, genuinely confused, and started to get to his feet. "What're you…"

He trailed off, gradually realizing what Sora meant. His friend had been getting better and better at transformation magic as time had passed. Clothes, objects, plants, people…he could do them all, though with varying levels of success and complexity. Human transformations were nice enough, but flashy, and often took time. Usually, Sora had to get the subject to stand still and let him work up to a spell, the same with changing plants or items. Clothes, on the other hand…those were the simplest of all. He could do them quickly, quietly, and without notice…much to Riku's increasing irritation.

"…Sora…," Riku began in a low, dangerous voice, fists clenching at his sides. "Undo it."

"…I dun wanna."

One silver eyebrow twitched. "Undo it _now_."

In response, a big, goofy smile was shot his way. "But you look so _pretty_…"

"…oh, it's on now."

With a squeal, Sora turned and ran, Riku hot on his heels, the long, frilled hems of the bright pink dress he was now wearing swishing comically. While growling in anger, hands straining to get around the other teen's neck, he had to—grudgingly—applaud Sora's creativity. It was a full gown, garters, corset, and all, and a very appealing shade of baby pink…or at least, appealing on a girl. On Riku, he was pretty sure he looked like a giant pastry of some kind, and Sora was going to _pay _for it.

"Go, Master, go!" Animus cheered from the canopy as Riku darted around the bed, nearly tripping over the heavy folds but staying right behind Sora, who was running flat out to escape him.

"Don't call me that!" Riku shouted, though not diverting his attention from Sora for a moment. "And run all you like, Sora! I'm still gonna catch you!"

"But I want to liiiiiiive!" Sora wailed in response, rolling over the surface of his bed to land safely on the other side, well aware that, in a big, poofy skirt, Riku couldn't do the same. "And you look so adorable, I can't stand it!"

"SORA!" Riku roared, spinning around and running—well, kind of waddling quickly—around back the way he had come, looking more frazzled by the moment. "We have to be ready before they get back! C'mon!"

"You look ready to me!" Sora shot back with a laugh, hopping over the surface of the bed again as Riku almost reached him, laughing louder at the groan of anger and frustration as the silver-haired Bearer was forced to repeat his previous route once again. "I'm sure they'll loooove you!"

Riku came to a gradual stop, Sora perched midway on the bed, watching him with wary—though laughing—eyes. "…say that again, Sora."

"Err…they'll love you?" Sora offered with a hopeful smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, girlish face, girlish figure, and even with your hair short, you still look so…so…so femme. But it's a good thing that dress has long sleeves. Those muscled arms? So unwomanly!"

What happened next was instantaneous. Later, Animus would say that Riku somehow employed his time-traveling capabilities to tackle Sora to the floor _before _the words were really out of his mouth, never mind that Riku would have had to have been holding his Keyblade to do so. As it was, Riku launched himself at Sora, both teens tumbling to the floor in an ungainly heap, the dress getting in the way of things somewhat. Still, he had him pinned by his shoulders, skirt effectively immobilizing his legs, and Riku loomed over his friend, a somewhat malicious smile on his face.

"…now what was that about being womanly? A woman wouldn't do to you what _I'm _about to do."

The look Sora had could most accurately be called pure terror, though Riku didn't miss the shared look of playful fun, an expression still present from the days when they were still normal kids. "N-now…c'mon Riku…you know I was only giving you a compliment…"

A smirk slowly spread across Riku's face as he leaned in closer, ignoring the rustle of taffeta as he did so. "Oh, I know you were…but _you _should know what compliments I _really _like. Otherwise…I may just have to hurt you a little so that you won't do it again."

Sora gulped audibly, eyes darting around the room for some means of extricating himself from Riku's grip. "But…but I'll know better next time, I swear…you can have a little mercy…today…right…?"

It was Sora who trailed off this time, attention focused on a point past Riku's shoulder, eyes growing wider and wider by the second. It didn't take a genius to figure out _why _and, a kind of cold dread settling in the pit of Riku's stomach, the silver-haired Bearer slowly turned his head, following the direction of Sora's gaze.

"Hiya, Sora!" Goofy said brightly, waving a hand, his silver armor—made much the same as Rowen's—clattering a bit with his movements. His expression, while friendly, was slightly…confused. Riku didn't blame him. "And you too, Riku! Glad ta see ya…and, uh…'m happy for ya both! I never woulda guessed…"

Sora squeaked. Riku choked. Donald, who was standing next to Goofy and was dressed in a fluffier winter version of some kind of wizard's robe, simply smirked, looking much like he wanted to laugh his tail feathers off but was much too dignified to do so. He settled for looking annoyed as he always did, hands planted on his hips.

"But if you two are done having your fun, the King can see you now," the wizard told them, sounding exasperated, though it was easy to see the mirth in his eyes.

Riku made a face in his direction, though only because it was what he always did. And if people didn't understand the nature of their friendship, how they acted towards each other, and amongst themselves…then tough bananas. "Yeah, we're done, thanks. And it's _your _fault, you know."

Donald glowered. "_My _fault?"

"Yes! That transformation magic is a **curse**."

Donald only smirked wider and raised the wand he was holding—a different one from the last time they'd seen him, older-looking with dark wood and silver etchings—and flicking it in Riku's general direction. Abruptly, Riku was back to the same clothes he was in before…which were, really, only his pants.

"…somehow, I don't think that made it much better, but at least now we know you're not a girl," Sora said after a moment, obviously trying not to snicker and failing pretty badly. Riku only sighed, getting back to his feet and stomping over to his bed, grumbling all the way. Atop Sora's canopy, Animus was laughing heartily, while Anima…

Anima was sleeping, curled up in the center of the canopy above Riku's bed, head resting on her hands while the antennae sweeping back from her head spread out gracefully around her. But it wasn't that she was tired. No, she just knew…it was far easier to buy time when in dreams.

……………

"…now that's a big door."

"Yeah."

"…like, _really _big door."

"…yeah."

"…so how long do you think we have to wait? Again?"

"I don't know. Donald and Goofy went in a while ago."

"Yeah."

"…do you think we'll have to open that big door by ourselves? I couldn't quite make out that special knock Donald did."

"Could always blast it in with a spell," Sora replied with a shrug, taking a break from tugging at his still-uncomfortable festival clothes, bells tinkling faintly. "I've been working on that one I saw in a textbook…um, Ultima, I think it was…"

Riku gave Sora a look, shaking his head. "I don't think that'd be a good idea. Maybe with a Flare spell…but then there would be giant chunks of what _used _to be a door in our way."

"…that's true."

Riku snickered, but was spared further attempts to waste time when the little door opened once again, Donald poking his head out. It was pretty funny, really; why have a giant door? Although, it went with the rest of the giant décor…the corridors were _huge_. Riku figured he could fit his whole house into some of them…

"They're finally done," Donald told them, sounding truthfully annoyed for once and motioning the two of them inside—having wisely left Anima and Animus back in their room. "There've been a lot of nobles and high-ranking officials coming to see the King lately. Did Captain Rowen tell you about the Court?"

"Yeah. Well, Skip did…but they've got good reason though, don't they?" Sora asked as he unconsciously straightened his shirt, Riku doing much the same.

Donald only grumbled in response, not-quite hiding the worry in his gaze. Riku's own eyes narrowed a bit, wondering just what they were about to be told, and followed the magic-user inside, trying to curb his awe at yet another extravagant, regal room that more than met his expectations. Everything was a gleaming white, more pure than the snow outside, great statues and draperies adoring the walls. A wide, lush red carpet led up to the single golden throne at the far end of the room—the hall? Riku wasn't really sure…

But he knew that small figure, the short and slight frame and the rounded ears, even dressed as he was in a finer suit of red and gold, white gloves still on his hands.

As it was, Riku was smiling as they reached the throne, offering a bow—which was sincere, no matter what anyone thought—before smiling at the man—well, mouse—he'd spent two years of his life trapped with in Kingdom Hearts. "It's been a long time, your Majesty."

"Same here!" Sora piped up as well, grinning from ear to ear as he stood at Riku's side, all but bouncing in place. This made the bells on his outfit pretty vocal, but nobody seemed to care. "But hey, better late than never!"

"True, true," Mickey responded, smiling in turn as he stepped down from his throne to stand in front of them, looking up and not appearing to mind at all the glaring difference in their height. He never had, after all. "Although I'm sorry it had to be when there was trouble."

Riku shook his head, standing more at ease now, aware that, between old friends, formality wasn't that important. And while he was pretty sure those were Court members—the officials and nobles, maybe?—standing in various places around the hall, muttering amongst themselves, he really didn't give a damn. It wasn't their concern, anyway.

Although, there were so _many_. The entire hall, big as it was, was nearly filled with peoples of all shapes and sizes, each dressed in some finery or another. Every animal Riku could think of—and some he couldn't even begin to recognize—were present, as well as more human-appearing folks who would have fit right in at Destiny Islands. Minus all the fancy clothes, of course; everyone sparkled or shimmered, though most of them held dark, worried looks, weary and troubled, or just annoyed as they watched the Keybearers. There were the usual looks of awe, or mistrust, or genuine relief…so many different opinions, so many different individuals.

_Just how big **is** the Kingdom? Is it…the whole world?_

But Riku didn't have time to ponder that, did he? Instead, he concentrated on Mickey again. "Eh, trouble is our business. I'd just like to know _what _the trouble is, exactly."

Sora nodded his consent, running a hand nervously through his hair. "Yeah, that would be nice. We've been sent places and brought places and informed of things, but never really what the big deal was, other than how someone breached your 'walls'. And then we don't even know what the deal with that is, either."

Mickey nodded, somewhat gravely, hands going behind his back as he spoke again. It struck Riku that the King looked…tired. And that was definitely not normal. Even when they had been trapped, he had always been upbeat and smiling, encouraging and strong. Now he just seemed worried and, more than anything, weary.

_Can the situation really be that bad…?_

"I'm sorry that no one could really tell you anything, but it wasn't for anyone's ears but your own. While it's true that someone broke past the barriers I put up, there are several layers to the problem," Mickey began, pacing a little in front of them. "As I'm sure you were told, any Keybearer can put walls around their world. It takes a while to learn, but the both of you will be able to do it yourselves eventually. The important thing you need to know is that no _normal _person should be able to breach them. Heartless and Soulless can, especially in great numbers, and individuals using darkness to their advantage."

"So what you're saying is that the person who did this _didn't _have any of those things?" Riku asked after a moment, slowly realizing what the King meant. "So it's a bigger problem because it's unlike anything you've ever come across before."

Mickey nodded. "Exactly. It shouldn't have been possible, but it happened anyway. And now this person, whoever they are, are hidden somewhere on my world. Using the Keyblade, I _should _be able to track them, just like you can track Heartless, or darkness…but I can't do that, either. And when someone's breaking all the rules, I know there's a reason to be concerned."

"Yeah," Sora agreed, running a hand through his hair, the soft chime of his bells a counterpoint to his worried tone. "So that's why you called us, and didn't give anybody the whole story. It would cause a panic if they knew…and we might be able to flush this person out working together."

"But what can we _do_, exactly?" Riku wondered aloud. "It's not like we don't want to help, but if _you_ can't find this guy, how can we? I mean, you're more…experienced than we are."

At that, Mickey smiled gently, shaking his head. "You'd be surprised at how much the two of you can do. But one of the reasons that I myself can't do as much is that I have to deal with all the problems here. Because Court is currently being held, I can't leave the castle. It's a rule, really, and not a very smart one. Why keep me here if I'm needed elsewhere, right?"

"Right," Sora agreed, glancing around quickly at the people that surrounded them. Far enough away so that they couldn't hear what the three of them were saying, but close enough to know that they were saying _something_. "Although…how many kings have been Keyblade Masters before? They probably never expected stuff like this to happen."

"A true enough statement, but it doesn't help us to think about it now," Riku said with a sigh, rubbing his eyes through his blindfold. "Okay, so while you're stuck here, we go out and try to find this guy…person…whatever and…stop them? Capture them?"

"Capture would be the best option," Mickey answered after a moment, a hand on his chin. "We really need to know _how _this happened and why it was done in the first place." He paused and offered them a slightly apologetic smile, looking both himself and extremely tired at the same time. "I'm sorry to have called both of you here. Had it been any other situation, any other kind of emergency…"

Sora shook his head at once, grinning in his signature way. "Don't worry about it. I didn't like not knowing anything, but now that we've got the whole story, I'm cool with it. Just go where we're needed, right? That's what Keybearers do."

Mickey's smile softened. "Of course."

"Okay!" Riku said after a few moments, sounding a bit overly enthusiastic, but hey, they had purpose now, at least. "I think it has to be dark outside by now…so, um, leaving in the morning? I'm kinda tired after the trip here."

Mickey nodded his agreement. "Naturally. And if you don't mind the formalities, there could be a banquet prepared later…and a nice breakfast in the morning."

Riku could almost _sense _Sora's eyes glazing over, his friend's voice sounding a little dazed as he answered. "That…sounds _great_…"

Muffling his snickers, Riku smiled. "Yeah, it does. So, some rest, some food, and then we start off trying to find this mystery man."

"Captain Rowen will point you in the right direction once you set out," Mickey affirmed. "Donald and Goofy are busy here in the castle, I'm afraid."

"It's alright," Sora replied, breaking out of his food-induced trance. "At least we got to see them."

"True," and Mickey's eyes softened again, motioning for Donald to return and lead them from the hall. "And thanks again for coming to help."

"No problem," Sora told him. "We'll always be there to help friends, no matter what."

"And we mean that," Riku finished for him, meaning it just as sincere as he had his bow when he'd first approached. "We owe you a lot, after all."

Mickey grinned, nodding in agreement, though his words held something that Riku couldn't quite pick up. It may have just been his imagination, but they seemed so…so sad. Like he knew something they didn't, or wasn't telling them the whole story…but why would he do that, really? It made no sense. Everything

_- and everyone, all places and all things, each life that lived - _

was just fine…wasn't it?

"You'd be surprised at just how much I'll owe _you _after this is taken care of."

**……………**

**Next Chapter:** Family Matters


	6. Family Matters

**AN: **Long time no see, ne? Twas a long semester last fall. And it certainly looks like it's going to be a long one this spring, too (curse you, Victorian Literature! Why did you all have to write things so bloody long?). However, the upside of having a crapload of papers to write is that I do just about anything to avoid writing them (for I am a procrastination queen); hence, I get a lot of writing done for my fanfics. Always find the positive, I say.

This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, but hey, overly long chapters get boring to read after a while. At least now there are hints of the serious action to come, and the forming of relationships that will become very important later on. I can't answer anybody's old reviews, sadly, though I will try to keep up with the new ones.

If anyone is still reading this, please enjoy. :3

P.S. Reveal ANYTHING about Kingdom Hearts II in your reviews (I have not seen the intro, I have not seen the ending, I have not seen much at all) and I will hunt you down and shoot you. I swear to god, I'll kill you. Oh, and as a reminder, this fic has nothing to do, and never will have anything to do, with KH2.

Sorry 'bout the death threats, but I have a psychotic reaction to spoilers.

**……………**

**Reign of Dreams **

**By **

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."

…Arthur Schopenhauer

**……………**

**Chapter V: Family Matters**

Kairi suspected the silence atop the landing pad hung in the air for a good five minutes. She couldn't see what the others were doing, but she didn't blame them for not interfering. Being uncertain of what to do herself, she simply stood there, waiting for something else to happen.

It was better than trying to comprehend what that girl…Reena, had just said.

_But I…I have no family…none…except for…_

"Um…excuse me…but could you p-please let me go…?" Kairi asked after what felt like another five minutes, distantly wondering when it was that her voice had gained that stutter.

"Hmm?" The girl, Reena, tilted her head, then smiled brightly again, stepping back, though not quite out of Kairi's personal space. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's just that I'm so excited…which isn't an excuse really, is it? I should've explained things more fully first."

_That could have been done before I arrived…_, Kairi couldn't help thinking, but she knew it would have been rude to say as much. At the moment, she just concentrated on keeping her expression under control. "So, um…Reena…_could _you please explain this? If you don't mind me saying, we really don't look alike…"

Although, now that Kairi took the time to examine Reena, she _did _look sort of similar. Traces of color in her hair and eyes, the shape of her face…they were a bit like Kairi's. But surely not enough for them to be family. Kairi knew she was an orphan, and that she had arrived on the islands via mysterious circumstances…

_But remember what those reports said. You never…really believed them, even when you read them through Sora's eyes. What…if they somehow explain this?_

Kairi was bothered by such a train of thought, and even moreso by the fact that she was thinking it in the first place. But Reena was speaking again, gesturing excitedly towards the area where the landing pad connected to the main building, a high, arched door waiting for them. "Of course! But it would be far more comfortable inside, wouldn't it? And we don't want to keep the Lady Gainsborough and the Blades, not to mention our esteemed Professors, for any longer than we should. They are busy, busy people, you know!"

Kairi blinked. There was that 'lady' status for Aerith again, and…blades? As in people like those Light and Dark Blades? Was she talking about Cloud and Leon? Kairi was getting a little sick of having things thrown at her without any explanation…

"We're not that busy, currently," Aerith said at once, not seeming to notice Reena's smile falter a little. "We have enough time to give Kairi a proper welcome. You've already prepared a banquet hall, after all."

Kairi's eyes widened, too surprised to take note of how Reena seemed faintly…displeased over not being able to talk to Kairi alone. "Oh, no, you don't have to do that for me! A banquet would be far too much…"

But curse her stomach, curse it, for choosing to growl at that precise moment. She blushed, looking away, hearing a few soft chuckles and missing Reena's resigned look before the smile turned bright again.

Surprisingly, it was Citan who spoke next, reminding Kairi that he was indeed still present, though apparently not for long. "It seems some food would do you some good, Kairi. However, I'm sorry to say that I can't accompany you. This trip has put a few projects of mine behind schedule."

Serge spoke soon after, shuffling his feet almost shyly. "Uh, yeah, me too…my teacher's pretty strict. He had a practice session set up for me almost as soon as we got back. So…I can't stay either."

It took a lot for Kairi to keep her face from falling. It was strange…she was going to eat with old friends, face new mysteries, actually _accomplish _something since setting out on this trip, but still, she was a little sad. Citan and Serge were good people, she knew that much, and, after this, she probably would never see them again. She could be called silly for getting attached so quickly, but she was just that kind of person.

So, she smiled softly at the both of them, nodding slowly. "That's alright. I'm grateful for…everything. It was an enjoyable trip."

Citan smiled back, eyes twinkling behind his glasses, a faint blush forming on Serge's cheeks as he peeked up at her through his bangs.

…_maybe it's silly, but I don't mind it at all._

"Well then, off we go!" An overly-cheerful voice interrupted, a hand going around Kairi's shoulders and all but dragging her towards the Bastion, away from the knot of people. Reena didn't even seem to notice Kairi's faint grimace, both at the treatment, and the way the guards on either side of the door saluted her. "I've already had everything set out!"

All Kairi could do was manage a wave to Citan and Serge, the rest of the group following after her and her…'sister'.

**……………**

It was small, as banquet halls go, at least according to Yuffie's whispered words in her ear. However, Kairi suspected that Hollow Bastion couldn't actually _do _anything on a small scale. The banquet hall was easily the size of her house, the chandelier-adorned ceiling maybe fifty feet above her head. Everything was in shades of gold and silver and pale, pastel colors, touched and lined by darker shades, purples and blues and deep swaths of midnight, mainly around the high, thin windows and in the flowing curtains. _Sunset_, the room was called, and with good reason, Kairi supposed. Every now and then the gold of the chairs and the shine of the silverware would flash a brilliant red in the sunlight streaming in from the windows, as if showing for a brief moment a hidden, profound fire.

Beautiful, in every sense of the word. And this was only one of the _small _banquet halls? Kairi couldn't even fathom what the main hall would be like, where the King traditionally met esteemed guests…

_Not that it would be in use now. Not for a long time, what with Ansem…_

But trouble lay down that path of thought, and Kairi stopped thinking about, aware that she had enough trouble already. She certainly didn't want more. Instead, she resigned herself to whatever was coming, sitting uncomfortably in her chair, eyeing the army of food before her with a dubious eye. Small banquet…right. More like gigantic dinner for six hundred, in her opinion. The table was quite large and the sparse amount of guests—which only really included herself and the rest who had been on the landing pad, save Serge and Citan—made it seem all the larger.

And why did she have so many _forks_? Along with various other utensils, variations of spoons and knives that probably had names but heck if she knew them. Her only saving grace was when Yuffie leaned closer—she supposed she should be thankful for small favors, especially the one that placed Yuffie and Aerith on either side of her, while Reena remained across the table—to whisper in her ear.

"Here's a neat trick: just start on the outside and work your way inward as they bring in the dishes. You'll be fine."

Kairi had some doubts about that, but she knew better than to voice them. Instead, she concentrated on Reena, already talking animatedly as the first of the 'dishes' were brought in by ladies and men in crisp dark uniforms and white gloves.

_Servants_, Kairi's mind told her and fought back the wave of disapproval. Now was not the time for that, either.

"It took me forever to figure it out," Reena was saying, ignoring what was going around her and focusing only on Kairi. "You see, I only had a few clues to go on—I was in the country house at the time, and I'd never been to Hollow Bastion before, so I just couldn't know—but I did eventually and then all that was left was to ask Lady Gainsborough about you! Since she'd met with the Keybearer and spoken to you. I hadn't believed up until that point that you _were _a Princess of Heart, too, but then there was no denying it!"

_Naturally_, Kairi thought wryly. It was faintly annoying to hear a story of yourself from someone who'd gotten all their information second-hand. Next to her, Aerith offered an apologetic—yet somehow serious—smile.

"But maybe I should start the beginning," Reena said suddenly, a thoughtful finger tapping her chin. She leaned forward after a moment, absentmindedly taking a bite of her food. It took Kairi a moment to realize that she herself had been listlessly poking whatever was on her plate around with an ornate fork. "Like I said before, I'm Reena Tycoon. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but the Tycoons—along with the Gainsboroughs—" she paused here to give Aerith a pleasant smile "—are two of the nine families that rule as a council in the king's stead."

Warning bells immediately went off in Kairi's head.

"But we haven't had much of a presence recently," Reena continued almost sheepishly, looking away and playing around with her food in a manner that was identical to Kairi's. Neither girl noticed, but a calm-eyed Aerith spotted it at once. "You see, we've had a lot of family members go…missing. There are _so _many rumors running around, it's ridiculous! Honestly, that people could say such things about _our_ family…but anyway. I'm the last of the current generation and, unfortunately, with so many of my siblings 'missing' instead of accounted for, I really don't have much say in the council."

The bells were more like claxons now, wailing over and over again in her brain. All Kairi could do was _stare_, watching Reena's fork move around almost playfully, her expression only thoughtful. Missing, she said…missing, lost, gone, family stolen away. That wasn't something to be so…so _nonchalant_ about! Especially with what she was adding on, having 'say'. Did that mean that without a guarantee of what her family members were doing and where they were, they couldn't participate in the government?

A nasty little suspicion about why Kairi had been brought here started to form in the back of her mind.

Reena took a quick, lady-like sip of her drink, continuing a moment later. Kairi's food might has well have been clumps of ash, she cared so little about it now. "But before all the mess with the Heartless started, I remembered that King Ansem had called for my sister to come to the capitol. And then she never came back. I had to wait until the worlds were restored before I could do research here and ask about you, but eventually I was led to Lady Gainsborough and she was kind enough to answer all my questions. After that, it was only a matter of sending someone to fetch you, and here you are! I never thought I'd see my dear little sister again."

Reena smile was so sweet that Kairi felt a sick kind of twisting in her stomach. This…wasn't right. Not in any way. Trying to cope with a previously unknown familial connection was one thing. Trying to cope with how she'd been tossed to another world in an experiment—though she would never regret knowing Sora and Riku—was one thing. Even trying to come to terms with the fact that she had apparently been brought here to serve as leverage in some shadowy, imposing council that controlled the world was one thing.

But, really, it was the small, delicate gesture—lifting one of the shiny, soft napkins to the corner of her mouth to dot away some imagined stain—that was the one thing Kairi couldn't handle.

_Acting like it hardly matters at all…_

"So now that you're here, there's so much we have to do! I'm so glad that those friends of yours took care of the Heartless already—" _she can't even say their names, can't even say them, that's not fair _"—so there's no real problem at all with you staying here! It's safe now, too, since Ansem is gone. You won't believe how happy everyone will be to see you back home! We left your room mainly the same, but I guess it won't be that hard for us to update it for you—" _she didn't even ask, didn't even let me answer, doesn't she **notice** the look on my face! _"—but that's for later. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but the Council is deadlocked in a vote right now, and ours is the tie-breaker! It's a big thing to come back to, I know, but you don't have to worry. I can take care of everything—" _selfish selfish she's so selfish! She still hasn't asked but I would say no because this is selfish and arrogant and I am not somebody's TOOL. Never again!_

_I don't care even if she IS my sister!_

Kairi was on her feet before Reena finished her sentence, palms slamming down on the table with enough force to overturn her fine crystal glass. It didn't break, but a blotch of dark liquid spread across the tablecloth, a cranberry stain that very closely resembled the angry flush on Kairi's cheeks. Reena actually looked surprised, staring at Kairi as if seeing her for the first time. Really, that might not have been that far from the truth.

For a few seconds that could have been a lifetime, they locked nearly identical eyes, Kairi's burning with affront and righteous indignation, anger seething from every line of her body. Kairi was and always had been of a gentler disposition. But she had her limits. She had lines drawn in clear colors, though it was inevitable that someone would cross them.

This girl masquerading as a sister and acting nothing like one had just done that. Without a further word, Kairi whirled around and stormed out—more like sprinted, swimmer's legs serving her in good stead—out the door, somehow managing to slam the huge slab of wood behind her with a reverberating, hollow sound.

Fitting.

**……………**

Some three hours of wandering aimlessly later, Kairi sighed. Why did Hollow Bastion have to be so _big_? All the previously ruined and closed-off sections had been totally restored, expansions extending in all directions and generally acting as a maze. Not that she was upset to be lost among its seemingly boundless confines; as long as she didn't have to talk to Reena again…well, not so soon, at least. Kairi knew she would have to face her sooner or later, but she just…she needed more _time_. Time to get used to the idea of actually having a sister…of having a family. And the fact that that family seemed to only need her to gain its own ends.

_I'm not something to be used. I'm **not**._

So preoccupied was she that she didn't even notice the tall, dark-haired man until she had already walked into him.

"Oh!"

"Oof!"

The next thing she knew, Kairi was on the floor, a hand on her head and a biting retort just waiting on her tongue. She wasn't normally stand-offish…but these weren't normal times. Apologies could come later, when life started making sense again, and she didn't have to be going in confused, infuriated circles over and over.

"Geez, I'm sorry! I didn't see you there…can you accept a gentleman's apologies? Or just a guy begging for forgiveness from a lovely young lady?"

_…um, what?_

Now more confused than ever—but, thankfully, not in that heated way that tightened her stomach and added an edge to her words—Kairi looked up and up, and met the golden, strangely gleaming eyes of a man she didn't know. He was tall, much taller than her, and well-built, form chiseled and posture assured, even relaxed as it was. He was clad in some kind of training uniform, durable leggings in a faded white, a loose, sleeveless tunic of the same shade hanging off his honed chest. His footwear and hand guards looked light and comfortable and, overall, he didn't seem like the kind of person who would be wandering around Hollow Bastion…for any reason.

_…interesting hair, though. Didn't think it came any spikier than Sora's_, Kairi commented inwardly, briefly raising a brow at the nest of thin, sharp black spikes atop the man's head, a few bending rakishly over his face, the rest swept back from his forehead and moderately tamed in a tail at the base of his neck. When loose it looked as though it reached a few inches past shoulder-length; though held back or not, the hairdo suited that handsome—if overly mischievous—face, all hard, appealing planes and laughing eyes, nevermind the strange golden color. He had a fairly nice tan, too, peppered here and there with scars, though the only one that stood out was a small, x-shaped mark just above his jaw on the left side, but it only added to his…

_…well, to his something_, Kairi finished, finally ready to respond to his…ah, apologies. "…gentleman's apologies accepted. I'll just pretend you were joking on that second part."

The man only laughed, offering her a hand and easily hauling her to her feet. "Well, that's better than most responses I get. It's hard on the ego, y'know?"

"I'm sure," Kairi replied, feeling a smile creep across her face in spite of the feelings still rolling beneath the surface. "And who would this 'gentlemen' be?"

Surprisingly, the man snapped a smart salute, identical to the ones the guards had used when greeting her at the main hall. "Blade Captain Zackary Faolan at your service, m'lady! Though for you, just Zack'll do. And you'd be Kairi Tycoon, right?"

Kairi couldn't hold back her wince, nor the quick words that followed. "Please, don't use that name. If you want me to call you Zack, then just call me Kairi."

A lifted brow was the first response she got, but the expected insistence on the family name never came. "Kairi sounds just fine to me. So, hiding from all the ruckus in the main castle, eh?"

Though she didn't really want to look away, Kairi did, smile fading once again as she answered. "It's that easy to tell?"

"Well, yeah. This area of the Bastion is for Blade and regular infantry training. Another floor up and you'd hit the mage libraries and arenas. And, no offense, but you don't look like a fighter or a magic-user."

"…guess not," Kairi muttered uncharacteristically, then sighed, offering Zack an apologetic smile. "I apologize for bumping into you, and I apologize for interrupting…whatever you're doing, then bothering you with my problems."

Zack shrugged, though somehow managed to give her a stern look at the same time, which was a little…surprising. They'd only literally bumped into each other minutes ago. "Not a problem. Things have been too quiet around here, anyway, and it isn't every day that you get to meet a noble lady _and _a Princess of Heart at the same time."

Kairi winced again, finally realizing the full extent of Sora and Riku's annoyance when it came to people idolizing them, or at least recognizing them by their abilities and status first. But Zack surprised her again, and grinned, good-naturedly winking in her direction.

"Not that that matters much to me. I've never been a big fan of class divisions, anyway, and I get the feeling that being a princess in the literal sense of the word is the last thing you'd want."

Unable to repress it, Kairi blinked at him, a hint of pink on her cheeks. "…that about sums it up, yes."

"Thought so," Zack said brightly, placing his hands triumphantly on his hips. "Another feeling I have right now is that you'd rather not be caught by various persons who are probably looking for you. So, as a better apology for nearly running you over, how about come with me?"

Kairi gave him a long look. "Excuse me, Captain, but I don't like what you're implying."

Another brow was lifted in her direction, after which Zack chuckled under his breath, shaking his head and holding his hands up to ward off her stern expression. "Okay, so I know I'm not much of a gentlemen, but I like to think I have…well, _some_ scruples. And ease off the 'captain' stuff; I get enough of that from Fayt as it is."

Kairi's memory twinged. "…Fayt? As in Fayt Leingod? Serge's older brother?"

"You know Fayt?" Zack asked, just as surprised, then nodded abruptly, snapping his fingers. "Oh yeah, Serge went on the summons mission to fetch you. He let his mouth run a bit, didn't he? Chatty, that one. A great kid, but about as subtle as Cloud in a Moogle shop."

_He knows Cloud?_ Kairi wondered, but decided to stick with one question at a time, pouring over her memory to pick out anything that might have to do with this man. "So you know them both? Serge said he was an apprentice for one of the Blades, I think…so, if you're a Captain, is he your trainee?"

"What, Serge? No, actually, though that surprises most people," Zack laughed again, an old joke obviously running through his mind. "Fayt is actually _my_ apprentice. I'm the Light Blade Captain, whereas Serge is the Dark Blade trainee."

"…I see," Kairi replied, though that was only half-true. Although, now that she thought about it, Serge had mainly been dressed in dark clothing, and had those black markings on his face…and here was Zack, all done up in white. The division of dark and light made her uncomfortable, actually…but Serge had been extremely friendly, and hardly at all like what she would have thought a Dark Blade to be.

_Not that I even know much of what any 'Blade' is supposed to be like, anyway. I don't know anything about Hollow Bastion…_

_…which is the source of my problems, really._

"So, about my earlier invitation, what I actually meant was if you wanted to come with me and watch the boys go through some of their exercises. Fayt and Serge are in joint classes—though classes isn't a good word for it—this time of day, and me and the other Captain oversee," Zack finished, gesturing down a side corridor Kairi hadn't noticed before. "Only we ever really go there, so it's unlikely someone will come lookin' for you if you're with us."

It was almost too good to be true, and Kairi's rather advanced sense of self-preservation—an essential skill when going against things like Heartless and Soulless—was telling her she might be better off not trusting complete strangers, but she nodded in spite of herself. Zack's friendliness was getting the better of her, and besides, she could at least talk to Serge, if nothing else. At the very least, she would have time to think, time to try and absorb and cope with…everything.

_Just a little time…that's all I'm asking._

"Well, since it's an apology, I think I can accept that kind of offer," Kairi responded finally, a smile creeping across her face again. "If you don't mind answering a few questions. I mean…Serge didn't really explain what a Blade is, nevermind the Light and Dark ones."

Zack grinned, leading the way down the hall and towards a simple-looking door at the far end, arched and engraved with twisting vines with either thorn or flower adornments. "Well, Blades are basically knights with special abilities. The older term for it is Mage Knight, but it changed to Blade when they started allowing folks not born into nobility to take up arms."

Pausing at the door, Kairi turned to look at him. "Is that why…you said you didn't like class divisions?"

Zack nodded, his expression half bemused, half serious. "Yeah, kind of. My family's at what you'd call the middle of the aristocracy pyramid. Not high enough to have a seat on the Council, but allowed to enter the Knight profession. That all changed, though, a while back, so anyone with the skills can be a Blade, or a magic-user. About the only thing that hasn't changed is which families run things when a king ain't around."

"…ah," was about the only reply Kairi could think of to give. Things were so different here…the leaders of each island back home were voted into office by the people. The island chain itself had a council of sorts, and a representative chosen by the council when dealing with mainland affairs. Still, it was an easy, looser system than this, without the divisions based on birth and tradition alone. She would never feel right about a world where the government worked this way…

"Now, I gotta warn you," Zack spoke up as they reached the door, jerking her free of her thoughts, his hand pausing on the ornate, tarnished metal of the knob. "The other captain—the Dark Blade Captain—is kind of…grumpy."

"…grumpy," Kairi repeated, a brow raising in slight curiosity. "Excuse me for asking, but grumpy how? I mean, Serge was very…"

She trailed off, aware that Zack probably didn't need to be told by her how Serge was. In any case, the man offered an apologetic smile, shrugging his shoulders. "It's a mystery to every division in the Bastion. Serge is just about the complete opposite from his captain, so things tend to get a little…strange between them." He shrugged again, helplessly this time. "Just thought I'd warn you."

Kairi blinked a little, not totally understanding, but she figured she could handle whatever was behind that door. She nodded and, at her affirmation, Zack twisted the knob and pushed inside…

"…late _AGAIN_, Faolan?"

Understandably, Kairi was nearly bowled over by the enraged shout—well, it was too low to be a shout, but it _sounded _loud and dangerous—that was directed in their direction. Zack winced, but that was all, the Blade Captain standing rather resolutely in the doorway as a second man stalked over to him, eyes the color of blood glaring with an annoyance that could probably kill a lesser being.

Unlike Zack, this man was clothed all in black, though the cut of his outfit was exactly the same. Although…was that a _skirt_? It looked like a skirt, was cut like a skirt…but Kairi decided to ignore it/not comment. It would probably be best. He was much slimmer than the other Captain, and shorter, but not by too much, movements graceful and clipped where Zack's where strong and assured. Surprisingly, his hair was much more…odd, apparently black at the roots but colored blond at the ends, large, loose spikes draped around his head, the rest streaming out behind him in rope-like tails. His features were sharp rather than broad, delicate even, though his scowl and those eyes—indeed the red of rubies—spoke volumes for just how un-fragile he was. The black tattoos—exactly like Serge's, though around and beneath the opposite eye—accented this fact astonishingly well.

"Now, c'mon Albel, I'm not _that_ late," Zack said, apparently recovered from that first seething outburst and smiling in a friendly way. "I, uh…ran into someone."

At that, Albel turned his piercing gaze her way, giving Kairi an once-over that she might have been offended by if she hadn't been busy being intimidated. "…how many times have I told you not to present me with underage women?"

…okay, now _that _was going too far, Kairi's eyes flaring.

"Ex_cuse_ me?"

Luckily, Zack spoke up quickly enough, waving an arm to ward Albel off, the other gesturing rather hastily towards Kairi. "No! No, it's nothing like that! She's just a…a guest, here to observe. I invited her."

Albel gave Zack a long look while Kairi stewed silently, eventually shrugging one slender shoulder in a noncommittal gesture. "…whatever you say, Faolan."

Kairi's eye twitched. Zack, however, only beamed, apparently seeing this as some kind of victory. "Yep! But enough about my patented ability to be right. How are the boys?"

Albel, apparently ignoring Zack's other comments, turned slightly, gesturing to the rest of the room. His words were clipped, business-like, despite the goings-on that made Kairi's eyes widen. "Serge's skills degenerated slightly during his time away and his practice session has been extended today to make up for that lapse. Fayt is still leaving his left side unguarded, which there isn't really an excuse for."

Zack only shrugged. "You can't expect someone to learn to compensate for a larger, longer weapon that quickly. He's improved, and that's what matters."

"…hmph."

Kairi missed this entire exchange, truth be told; she had been far too busy staring. Serge—as well as an older boy, taller, but with that same oddly blue hair—were sparring at a speed Kairi had only seen Sora and Riku match before. They were black and white blurs, each boy clad in clothing similar to Zack and Albel's, though simpler in design and with thin layers of padding over their chests and arms. She suspected it served as protective wear, even though the 'weapons' they were wielding were nothing but wooden imitations of swords, much like those seen in her childhood. But vastly different was the _way _in which they were used.

The dojo-like area in which they fought was large—as things always were in Hollow Bastion, it seemed—yet, even so, it hardly seemed enough space for them. As she watched, Serge sprinted half the length of the room, leaping into the air towards his opponent to cover the rest of the distance, both 'bladed' ends of his weapon spinning downwards. He was motionless just long enough for Kairi to realize that it was more like a swallow than a sword—she'd seen one before, and it was unique enough for her to recognize—even though it was hardly fatal, what with being wood and all. The other boy—who had to be Fayt—carried a long, heavy-looking representation of a more traditional sword, which he was already swinging up to block Serge's attack.

He was fairly successful, the pair deadlocked for a long, long moment, staring into each other eyes, expressions completely serious…until Serge grinned, Fayt's eyes widening in surprise. At first, Kairi didn't quite understand what was going on; a second later, she did, Fayt's pants sliding to the floor at the same time as his cleanly undone-sash. Apparently, Serge had slid the bottom blade of his swallow under the fabric and pulled it open, even as he executed his strike.

_…oh my_, Kairi thought a bit distantly as she felt her cheeks redden. Inevitably, her eyes drifted downwards, then quickly looked away again, skin heating further. _Why do they need to wear so little under those things…?_

Fayt, on the other hand, was frozen in place, Serge landing neatly in front of him, wide grin on his face. The silence only lasted a few moments more, Zack snorting once, twice, then bursting out laughing, clutching his sides desperately.

"O-oh gods…that was _perfect_…," the Light Blade Captain managed to choke out, hunched over. Albel's expression, meanwhile, had gone steely, eyes smoldering with red fire. Without preamble, he stalked over to where the boys were standing.

"_Serge_," he started in that low, dangerous voice. "Just what was _that_?"

Serge didn't miss a beat. "Special tactic."

Neither did Albel's eye twitch. "And just what made you think it was appropriate to use?"

"You always say use everything to your advantage, so I did."

"…what made you think it was appropriate to use in front of a _female_?"

"…what?"

It was at that point that both boys glanced over, noticing Kairi for the first time. Serge abruptly smiled, waving heartily. "Hey, Lady Kairi! Didn't think I'd see you so soon! Having fun?"

Fayt, on the other hand, turned and _stared_, eyes going as wide as saucers, and choked, stooping with almost inhuman speed to grab his pants and yanked them back up. Zack was on the floor by now, still laughing, nearly red in the face from lack of air. And Albel looked like he wanted to kill something.

As for Kairi, she weakly lifted a hand in greeting, feeling sorry for Serge's brother, who probably wanted to sink into the floor right now. She knew the feeling. "Uh…hi again, Serge. I…suppose I'm having a good time…"

"Good!" Serge announced happily, gesturing to the side. "You've probably already guessed, but this is my older brother Fayt. He doesn't _always_ wear dancing Moogle briefs, just some of the time."

"Serge!" Fayt exclaimed at once, blush spreading across his cheeks. Now that they were standing still, Kairi could compare the pair a bit better. Fayt was taller, and a little thinner. If Serge had always used a heavy weapon like a swallow, whereas Fayt seemed to have switched to a larger sword more recently, it could account for the difference in their muscle tone. However, Fayt still had the height advantage, and his hair was more tame, slender bangs falling across his forehead, the rest neatly laid back. His features were more narrow to match his height, but by no means skinny; he shared an overall 'healthy' appearance just like his brother, which they had both probably gotten from all this training.

Really, what Kairi noticed the most were his eyes. A deep, smooth green, rich in color like the leaves on the palm trees back home.

_…I suppose saying they're pretty will embarrass him even more._

By this time, Zack had managed to get a hold of himself, climbing back to his feet and going over to the three standing in the middle of the dojo. He probably knew he had to intervene, seeing as Albel still looked ready to commit murder. "Well, Serge, I have to say, Albel must have been lying about your skills getting a bit rusty. You won the match."

Fayt blinked in surprise, then smiled faintly, shaking his head. "I guess he did. Good going, Serge."

At this, Serge practically beamed, grinning proudly. "Thanks! I know you're faster than me, so I had to slow you down somehow!"

The smile grew as Fayt chuckled. "That's true. Guess I'd better start wearing tights, huh?"

"Yep!"

Kairi was a little surprised by this. From her own experience with competing teenagers, she would have guessed that Fayt would get angry or sulky over how things had just gone. After all, he'd lost a practice match and had been embarrassed in front of a stranger, and a girl, no less. But then…they were brothers, weren't they? How long had they been training together, living together, anyway?

_Maybe it isn't right to always assume that people won't get along because of little things like this. Sometimes family means more than a momentary anger…_

Immediately, Kairi thought of Reena and guilt crept through her. Maybe she'd been too harsh on the other girl? She'd made a lot of assumptions pretty quickly, and even _if _those were some of the reasons Reena wanted her to stay at the Bastion permanently, that didn't necessary mean they were the _only _reasons. From what she'd heard, Reena was the only member left of the main line, so maybe…she just wanted her sister back. Just wanted a family again. The way she had been acting hadn't given much indication of that fact, but if Kairi wanted to be sure that was all there was to Reena's reasoning, she would probably have to spend more than fifteen minutes with her. A first impression was a hard thing to get over, but not impossible.

_I should…give her another chance…_

"Even if you won, that doesn't mean your actions were acceptable," Albel suddenly spoke up, arms crossed in front of him, the hard look still in his eyes. "Doing such a thing in actual combat won't lead to such pleasant results. And I very much doubt things such as monsters or Heartless would be in any way affected."

Serge winced, probably aware that Albel had him there. "But it wasn't a real battle…"

Albel's response was quick and firm. "That doesn't mean you should not treat it was such. There will be repercussions for this."

"Hey now," Zack put in, Fayt standing at his side. "Don't be too hard on him, Albel. A little fun never hurt anyone."

Albel's withering look obviously disagreed and Zack sighed, continuing. "Besides, in some real situations, such tactics _do _work very well."

"I am not inclined to believe you."

"Should I prove it?"

"…by all means."

There was a long silence in the room then, and Serge and Fayt wisely slunk away from the center of the room, retreating to where Kairi stood. Apparently, this kind of thing was a usual occurrence, because the boys didn't look _too _worried. Just…smart enough to get out of the way. Serge took up a spot beside Kairi, Fayt on his brother's other side, the younger Leingod whispering to Kairi.

"This is gonna be good. Happens at least once a week, too. Traditionally, the Dark and Light Blades are supposed to work together. But with how their personalities are, well…"

He didn't finish his sentence, but Kairi knew he didn't have to. She'd only watched the pair of Captains for less than twenty minutes, and already she had a good idea of their 'relationship'.

Meanwhile, both men had gone to a rack near the wall, each picking up practice weapons of their own. Simple swords, no real distinction between the pair, and the part of Kairi's mind that had watched and participated in many battles felt a twinge of curiosity over what kind of weapons they actually used in battle. She wasn't a fan of fighting by any means, but it wasn't a crime to be interested. Still, she supposed she'd have to ask some other time, both of them returning to the center of the room and taking positions opposite each other, bodies falling into obviously practiced stances.

_Is this…going to end well…?_

Kairi didn't have any longer than that to think on it. Before she could blink, the two men were moving, Albel taking the offensive. He might have ran, or he might have jumped—Kairi really wasn't able to see—but suddenly he was right in front of Zack, wooden sword blurring with the speed with which it was swung. But, amazingly, Zack blocked it easily, expression calm as he neatly stepped to the side to attack as well, weapon swinging up from below. In a likewise manner, Albel parried, then jumped back a few feet to dart around the side, using his apparently lighter form and greater speed to his advantage.

But Zack seemed prepared for it, turning on his heel to face Albel every time the other man tried to move around him. They appeared to know each other's tactics quite well, Albel looking not at all frustrated or surprised by what Zack was doing. Both of their faces were utterly calm, though Zack's lips almost twitched up into a smile as Kairi watched. She blinked, which was a bad idea, since she missed where Zack ducked low, surged forward, blade swinging…away?

_…oh my._

Serge was already laughing. In contrast, Fayt looked mortified, cheeks going red again.

_Maybe…he shouldn't wear that…? It's…kind of a liability…_

Now Kairi was laughing, too. Meanwhile, Albel looked as though he really _would _kill someone this time. Preferably Zack, since Zack had his hand up the back of Albel's skirt. Or whatever that fluttery thing was. The point was that Zack had his hand in there, and must have been doing _something_, because Albel had dropped his guard to glare bloody murder, and Zack's blade was pressed against his throat.

If Zack's grin was faintly smug, Kairi supposed he had a right to it. "…guess I win, huh Albel?"

Albel's eyes burned with ruby fire, though, surprisingly, his lips tugged up into a smirk. "…tie, Faolan."

Zack blinked, and glanced down. The tip of Albel's weapon was hovering maybe a centimeter away from, well…if their practice swords had been real, and Albel had had the inclination, he could've very easily made it so that Zack never had any children.

It took Kairi a moment to realize she was giggling, and hastily brought a hand up to her mouth to hide it. That was more than what Serge was doing, considering he was leaning against the wall behind them for support, as nearly as red in the face as Fayt, though for different reasons. Although, despite the blush, the elder Leingod was laughing now, a rich, low chuckle, gaze alight with mirth. He'd struck Kairi as a very straight-laced person from the get-go, especially with all the comparisons Kairi had been told of between him and Serge, but…maybe the brothers weren't so different after all?

_I wish…I had more time to find out. But if this has shown me anything…_

She didn't even need to finish the thought. She knew she would spend a little more time here—Zack had been nice enough to offer, and she _had _accepted—and then go back. Running from the problem wouldn't solve anything, and maybe, just maybe, it wasn't as much of a problem as she thought it was. Well, besides Reena's personality. It was…a bit much for Kairi.

_But it shouldn't stop me from at least trying._

"So!" Zack proclaimed, stepping over, practice sword resting on his shoulder. "Now that that's cleared up, why don't you two go at it again? No funny business this time, though. Albel's right about a few things. See if you can guard a bit more on that open side of yours, Fayt."

The elder Leingod nodded, all business again, stepping forward to resume his place in the room. Albel's eyes went to his own apprentice, a bit more at ease now than they had been before. The Dark Blade Captain had seemed so unforgiving at first, expression like a razor, words like the swift slice of a dagger…and yet here he was, calmly—if sternly, eyes gleaming—correcting Serge on several faults in his 'technique'.

"As…functional as that method was, it won't work in most actual battles, despite that…display of Faolan's," he remarked almost ruefully, if such an emotion could ever grace his mannerisms. "Certainly not against beasts and Heartless. Such a thing should only be utilized if the situation makes it a possibility."

"Like with you and my brother," Serge put in helpfully and Albel scowled, though did not deny it. Serge grinned, nodding and following after his sibling. "I'll be sure to remember that!"

Kairi had to smile, even as the boys faced each other and prepared to begin anew, an identical determination settling on their features. This match promised to be good, and despite how she would have to leave as soon as it was over, Kairi intended to enjoy it. She leaned back against the wall behind her, the same kind of contentment from the night of the festival settling over her again. It wasn't so bad…it _wasn't_. She would find a way, as she always had and they would

_die fade burn rend tear fall disappear **die **die die die die theywerealreadydead-!_

and Kairi's train of thought stopped as she felt something, _saw _something. It had to do with Serge, she knew that much. Around him, in him, shifting like an aura but thicker, denser. Heavy with the weight of darkness and something more…no, something _less_. Less than everything, than every factor of the world. Negative in a way that she, at the moment, couldn't begin to fathom.

She had time enough to widen her eyes, lids stretching wide, whites showing, and, at the same moment, the presence that lingered within that coiling wealth of nothing opened its own and stared back.

_Eyes like a cat's, slit, gleaming, **terrible**…_

Then it was gone. Gone as if it had never been, Serge and Fayt moving rapidly across the floor once more, fake weapons swirling with mainly practiced ease. Zack and Albel were watching with hawk-like eyes in either gold or crimson, speaking words of instruction or encouragement now and then. Whatever it had been, that…that _thing_, none of them had seen it. None, save Kairi.

And that, more than anything else, spelled trouble.

**……………**

**Next Chapter: **Out of Nowhere

**Characters: **Zack – _Final Fantasy VII_, Albel, Fayt – _Star Ocean: 'Til the End of Time_.


	7. Out of Nowhere

**AN: **Omgwtfbbq an update and it hasn't even been two weeks yet. Nice long chapter for you, with plot and stuff happening! It feels good. :3 Nothin' much to report from the Rem end of things, other than that the story is FINALLY PICKING UP, which is always a good thing. Expect things to suddenly explode very, very soon, because once the shit (omg Rem cussed call the language police) hits the fan, all hell's gonna break loose.

As a reminder, no KHII spoilers in reviews, or I will eat you alive. Thank you and have a nice day. :D

**……………**

_**Reign of Dreams**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

"This ain't right, man!"

…Zell Dincht, _Final Fantasy VIII_

**……………**

**Chapter VI: Out of Nowhere**

Sora had come to the conclusion—rather quickly—that having wings made traveling much, _much _easier. Gone were the days of trudging along seemingly endless roads, feet aching and the pack slung over his shoulder likened to a boulder chained to his back. Nowadays, serious weariness was a thing of the past. As long as he stopped every night to get some rest, eat some good food, and, most importantly, find some new way to tease Riku, he would be good to fly all the next day. He supposed it mainly had to do with his abilities as a true Keyblade Master, though he really didn't think about it much. It worked, so why bother? Ignorance really could be bliss, after all.

The only time he'd ever gotten seriously exhausted was during the fight against Aros, but there was reason enough for that, wasn't there? Reason enough for a lot of things. Almost childishly, his mind had come to the conclusion that pretty wings equaled not getting tired, and he was fine with that. He felt he was owed a bit if his childhood, anyway. His more upbeat—or hyper, according to some—attitude of the past year or so could be attributed to that, he supposed. Maybe it was a little feigned at times, forced and a bit much, but he just didn't want to continue to wallow in the dark hole he'd inhabited for far too long. To some part of him, it didn't seem fair, and any shame he might have felt for taking some comfort for himself for a change wasn't quite as strong as his desire for it.

Sora wanted to be _happy_, and he'd be damned if he was going to let anything—even this ungodly amount of rain—get the better of him.

He supposed it was lucky that they had just made it to this city in time to avoid the storms that he'd watched gathering on the horizon for the better part of the day. This area of the world was more prone to freezing rain than snow in the winter and they hadn't really been looking forward to experiencing that firsthand. Both he and Riku, considering that weather control wasn't listed in the Keybearers' long index of spiffy abilities, had gone full speed toward their destination for most of the afternoon.

And quite a destination it was. They had been given an overview of what to expect before leaving, of course, but Sora still had a hard time wrapping his mind around this one. He'd taken high school science classes—he _had _continued his education, after all—and he'd visited many worlds, adding an edge of experience to his knowledge that a lot of people didn't have otherwise. And, according to that experience, a world's inhabitants were usually uniform in some way. Or at least the dominant species. So far, they'd mainly been humanoids of some kind, from demons to vampires to whatever. In the case of Mickey's world, well…that much was fairly obvious.

The thing was, Sora had expected _all _the inhabitants to look that way. Staying in the castle a few days had just about proven that to him. Beings that walked on two legs, had hands of some kind, but were likened to various animals. So, naturally, he'd been quite surprised when he'd arrived in this town to see nothing but people like himself.

Well, not _exactly _like himself—seeing as he was from different world—but exact in appearance. Humans, for lack of another term to use. Sure, there _was _the possibility that two separate strains of evolution had occurred—to go by his science and biology classes again—but it just…seemed really unlikely.

"Oh, sure Sora, just question genetics when you can fly through space and turn a banana into a brick," he muttered to himself, a hand rubbing through his hair. His tone was annoyed, but he figured it was justified.

They were waiting. _Again_.

Maybe it was curse. Yeah, it had to be. Some kind of curse associated with visiting royalty. Or just visiting castles. The only lead they'd had in the case of the mystery figure trespassing on this world had been the disappearance of children in a neighboring kingdom. So, that entailed traveling to said kingdom, talking with the ruler of said kingdom, and searching around in said kingdom for said mysterious person that was causing said serious problems.

…_wow, this really must be getting to me. I'm _thinking _in sarcasm._

Sora was also thinking to himself—talking took too much effort—but he decided to let that slide. As it was, the king of this place had been busy when they arrived and, once the shock of seeing two winged boys in odd clothing with Heartless following them around had subsided, they'd been taken to temporary quarters within the castle. It was a nice castle and the rooms were as lavish as they were beginning to expect, but that didn't change the fact that, even while they apparently was a very dangerous situation going on, they were having to stand in line to get things rolling.

It made Sora question just how serious the problem had to be.

_But then…no one but Mickey was supposed to know about it. The people here just know children are disappearing. They don't know that their world's greatest defense was breached._

So, sure, there was a reason. Didn't mean that he couldn't be annoyed by this. And Riku…well, Riku had opted for his usual final means of coping with being seriously irked by something.

He was sleeping.

Sora had pondered doing that as well—they'd been up since before dawn flying here—but he figured he'd better stand watch, or something. It had been a half-joking thought, but he'd realized that, now that they were here, they really _would _have to be on guard. He hadn't sense anything nefarious so far, but if someone was capable of getting past something King Mickey had constructed, there was a very good chance this person could mask themselves from all Keybearer senses. And could, quite possibility, be able to tell that Keybearers were now in the vicinity.

Put into that kind of context, well…Sora was feeling an urge to look over his shoulder now and then, but he did his best to resist it.

The only _other _reason he felt the need to keep a guard was the populace of this town. The reaction they'd gotten when they'd come in had been a bit…chaotic. These folk had never seen a Keyblade Master outside of King Mickey whenever he might have visited on international business, and they'd certainly never seen ones with wings. Oh, and the Heartless. Couldn't forget about them. Animus had had a grand time sneaking up on young girls as they'd hastily made their way to the castle, and, in the end, had had to be dragged along by his antennae, Anima showing a rare moment of emotion. Sora wasn't quite sure how her eyebrow could twitch when she didn't have eyebrows, but that was the impression he got just the same.

Currently, Animus was sleeping as well, sprawled over the second windowsill in the room, Sora having claimed the first earlier to sit by and watch the rain patter against the glass. Anima…well, Sora really didn't know where she was. She'd said something about checking the castle for something, and had gone off on her own. Sora and Riku hadn't been too worried, seeing as she was far more than capable of taking care of herself and going unseen. Any shadow was a place for her to hide, and there were plenty of those in a big place like this.

It would probably be good for them in the long run if she got a good impression of the layout of the castle and the surrounding area, but Sora couldn't help being a little more annoyed at the state of things when he didn't have anyone to talk to. He was seriously considering banging his head against the window for lack of anything better to do.

_Can't go out and walk around 'cause they could come for us at any time, can't sleep because I'm too bored to sleep, can't talk to Anima because she's stars know where, can't practice with the Keyblade because there isn't any spac—wait._

Slowly, a grin spread across Sora's face. Sure, it was a small room and intelligent people didn't go swinging a weapon around in an enclosed space. But there was more than enough area to work with when it came to practicing certain magic spells. He was getting better all the time and he had his prime test subject right here. And conveniently sleeping, too. Why _not _spend all this downtime accomplishing something?

Rather stealthily, Sora slipped off his perch on the windowsill to creep towards the bed nearest to the wall. Riku looked pretty peaceful, sans coat, over shirt, and boots. In typical Riku fashion, he was sprawled over the entirety of the bed, dismissing that 'coolness' factor for a more casual air. Or something. Grin still in place, Sora sidled up until he was standing right next to the bed, hand lifting to silently call the Keyblade, the mystical weapon appearing a moment later with a muted flash of light. Kingdom form, no frills; he had enough magic energy in his own reserves and, anyway, Riku might sense any of the stronger Keychains and wake up.

And Sora couldn't have that.

Glancing around a moment or two, just to be safe, Sora leaned a bit over his friend, eyes half-closing as he concentrated. Human—or just about any higher lifeform, really—transformations were difficult things to do, and required so much concentration that he normally wasn't able to perform them outside of a situation like this. If there had been time, he would have spent a while with Donald asking questions and trying to figure out the finer points of the art. Sure, it was a bit different than actually fighting with a Keyblade, but Sora found that he enjoyed it immensely.

There might be time for that when they returned, maybe. It all depended on how this investigation went. Still, there was time enough for a little practice on his own, and Sora felt justified in taking advantage of it.

_Now…all I have to do is decided what to try and change him into._

Was the expression on Sora's face gleeful? Maybe. It was certainly more fun than watching the rain outside, but, thinking about the cold and miserable weather, it occurred to Sora that Riku would probably like a more effective means of combating the storms.

His grin widened.

Lifting his other hand so that both grasped the hilt, he let his eyes fall the rest of the way shut, focusing on the image in his mind. Transformation magic had two forms: open and closed. Open was the more advanced technique, the caster choosing a vague ending product and the nature of the person on which the spell was being performed deciding the final shape. What had been used on him in Atlantica was a good example. Donald had set the end result as something capable of breathing and functioning when immersed in water, and their hearts and personalities had chosen the ending result.

Now, while Sora would have loved to give such a thing a try, he had yet to perform an open transformation spell successfully, even on something like clothing. So, he stuck to the closed version of the spell, in which the caster visualized completely the end form that they wished their subject to take. He was doing so now, mind going blank of all other thoughts, carefully grasping the shifting threads of the magic power within himself, gently tugging them out and into his Keyblade.

That was another thing. Donald, he knew, was capable of performing magic without a wand, or any kind of focus. He just used wands and rods to amplify his power. Sora, on the other hand, still couldn't use any kind of spell without something to focus it through, even if that something was a simple as a piece of wood. His preferred medium was the Keyblade, of course, but he half-wished he knew how to do magic without it. It would certainly be more convenient, but there hadn't been any need to learn so far, so he supposed he would have to be content with how things were.

But! Enough side thoughts. Get distracted and funky accidents that were hard to reverse occurred. So, instead of dwelling on various other things, Sora continued to call forth his spell, a gleaming haze of silver-white light shifting into existence around the Keyblade. He altered his stance a bit, the tip of his weapon pointing towards Riku, and his grip tightened, focus flaring as he let the gathered magic fall away from him and towards his friend.

There was a quick, sharp flash of silver—much like when someone set magnesium on fire, but without the retina burning—and then all was dark again. Eagerly, Sora opened his eyes to view his handiwork.

…_damn. I'm **good**._

Donald would probably be rather appeased if he saw. The feathers were sleek and dark with flecks of white, a pristine section of white around Riku's neck but a deep, almost bluish black covering over his face, vaguely sharp beak just as deep in color. Arms like wings, feathers like fingers, equally dark skin over webbed feet. A freshwater bird, truthfully. Not a duck, but close enough. A common loon, to be specific. With long, pretty silver hair.

Sora was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"My, my, my! That was quite a spell, Sora."

Nearly jumping out of skin, Sora's eyes shot to the door, widening at what he saw. Tall, almost skinny figure in blue robes, pointy, almost sloppy-looking blue hat, a long, snow-white beard nearly down to his stomach and old, friendly eyes over a bushy moustache…

"_Merlin?_"

"One and the same, my boy," the wizard said cheerfully as he stepped into the room, Anima of all people following along behind him. Sora felt his jaw drop, but neither magic-user nor Heartless seemed to notice. "And I'm impressed by your control. Such a technique usually takes at least a decade of study to master to such a degree. I'm glad to see you have kept on improving since I saw you last."

"Err…thanks," Sora said a bit sheepishly, a hand going to the back of his head. "I…practice a lot."

_Whoo, lame Sora._

Fighting off his slight embarrassment at being caught red-handed, Sora continued. "But…wow, Merlin. I didn't know this was your world…"

Merlin's eyes closed with mirth, moustache lifting with a smile. "It is indeed, though I live here rather than in King Mickey's realm. This is my homeland, and I am rather attached to it."

"Aren't we all?" Sora agreed a bit more easily, discomfort fading in the face of old friends. He glanced a bit to the side, brows lifting a little. "And I see you've already met Anima."

Merlin nodded, letting the door shut behind him and going to sit in a plush chair near the other window…consequently, near to Animus, looking over the white Heartless with obvious fascination. There was no distaste or fear in his eyes, no repulsion at the sight of Heartless, even after all that had happened. Sora would have never even thought of Merlin as the kind of person who would react that way, but he was relieved just the same. He wondered, sometimes, if Anima and Animus got tired of the way they were regarded, the frightened and angry eyes that would follow them when people thought they weren't looking…

"More like she met me, actually," Merlin was continuing, tilting in his seat this way and that as he inspected Animus. Anima had already made her way back to Riku's bed, staring with her usual quiet surprise at the altered young man…loon, still sleeping peacefully. "We ran into each other quite on accident, but she was kind enough to explain her situation."

Sora blinked. "…really? All of it?"

Merlin chuckled, apparently expecting Sora's reaction. "Enough to know that she was no harm to the people of this world. But that was a given, considering her and this fellow's relation to Riku and yourself." The wizard paused, eyes returning to the bed once more. "…he looks a bit different from when I last saw him, though."

Sora snickered helplessly, dismissing the Keyblade still in his hand. "Yeah, I'd say so. Might be an improvement, though." He laughed again, returning to his previous spot on the neighboring windowsill, seeing as their room lacked another chair. "He gets pretty mad at me for always using him as a test subject."

"Well, it cannot be said that you do not do a good job," Merlin offered and Sora had to nod, grinning. "He could certainly handle the weather outside quite well now."

"Yeah, that was pretty much my intention." Sora commented, leaning back against the window despite the cold and wet just beyond it. "It was more interesting than just sitting and waiting."

Merlin must have caught the faint annoyance in his tone, the wizard inclining his head apologetically. "I am sorry for that, Sora. I am sure King Mickey informed you of the low profile this situation is trying to keep. In this area, only myself and King Arthur are aware of the full severity."

_Well, that's nice, at least. Won't have to waste time explaining…or trying to explain without explaining, if that makes any sense._ "King…Arthur?"

At the question, warmth spread through Merlin's expression. "Ah, yes, I never had the chance to mention him to you before. He was a…pupil of mine, before he became ruler here. The circumstances of his ascension make would for a rather interesting story when we have more time."

Sora had to perk up at that, pushing aside his curiosity over this new King at the chance to actually get things done again. Rushing someplace just to wait wasn't a fun thing to do, especially multiple times in one trip. A sense of urgency was overcoming him, especially at Anima's increasingly distant behavior. Understanding the Black Heartless was more Riku's line of expertise, but it was becoming rather obvious by now, especially when Animus was beginning to emulate him.

As it was, she was perched on the windowsill next to her counterpart, watching the rain with unblinking eyes.

_The only thing that doesn't make sense is that she won't say anything about it. If it's important, then why…?_

The more adult part of Sora felt a niggling sense of doubt when it came to her trustworthiness, but he stamped it down mercilessly. If you couldn't trust your friends, then who?

"So I'm guessing that means we can go to see him now?" Sora asked hopefully, just about bouncing in his seat. Sitting still tended to do that too him, and it was often made worse by the way he choose to act. It wasn't as though he intend to stop any time soon, though.

Merlin chuckled in response, nodding. "I thought it better that I come to inform you myself. I am sure you don't mind."

Of course Sora didn't. Walking with an old friend was much better than being stared at by a group of soldiers, or hearing whispers behind his back from servants. Or getting nasty looks from other guests, as they had back at Mickey's castle. It got so tiring, this exclusion from the normal way of things around them, but Sora supposed he should get used to it right now. Like his behavior, that wasn't something apt to change anytime soon.

Still didn't mean he had to like it, though. With a relieved smile, he got to his feet. "Yeah, it's fine. At least this way no one else can overhear what's going on. The last thing we want it a panic."

"…SORA."

…_oops. Leave it to Riku to wake up right when it's time to go._

Well aware of what was coming, Sora skittered off the windowsill and dove behind Merlin's chair, just in time to avoid an angry, _quacking_ fellow Keybearer. If it hadn't been so funny, the fury in Riku's eyes—even with the blindfold, Sora knew it was there—might have been scary. As it was, Sora was nearly choking from laughing so hard, running circles around Merlin's chair as Riku charged after him. Merlin, to his credit, diplomatically said nothing, though it was easy to tell he was smiling by the twinkle in his eyes.

"DAMNIT, SORA! FIX ME, _NOW_!"

"You want me to fix you? Geez, Riku! I thought you wanted to have kids someday!"

"…not what I meant! Get back here!"

"Not gonna!"

"ARGH!"

On the opposite windowsill, Animus slowly came awake, smiling faintly at the scene. He was tired, though, the White Heartless looking more weary than he had been before he'd gone to sleep. With a great deal of effort, he pushed himself up, not at all surprised to see Anima sitting across from him, watching him with her usual silent concern. He offered her a reassuring nod, or at least his best effort.

"Yeah, you were right. I can't believe someone is taking advantage of it already, though…"

Anima simply shook her head. "It is to be expected, given the scope. But, ah…how bad is it?"

Her counterpart only shook his head. "Hard to tell. I think Riku could handle him blindfolded—" Animus had to pause to snicker, despite his weariness. "—but I think he's got some weird tricks up his sleeve."

He paused there, glancing worriedly at Sora and Riku—Sora cheerfully raising his Keyblade to return the young man currently throttling him back to normal—shifting uncomfortably. "…shouldn't we tell them?"

Anima was silent for a long moment, eyes half-closed in thought. Animus was aware of how hard the decision must have been, especially considering what he had just learned. Putting everything into perspective, he felt a chillness in himself that should not have existed, but was there just the same.

"…no," Anima responded softly after a time, gaze drifting to the pair of Keyblade Masters, Sora still snickering now and then as a normal-seeming Riku checked himself for any lingering feathers. "No, it would not do any good, otherwise. More harm than good, really…"

Animus hung his head.

"Yeah, I figured as much."

**……………**

Sora had been expecting a monarch quite different from the person they were introduced to. In fact, his mind was still reeling as a strong arm went around both his and Riku's shoulders, dragging them towards a broad table laden with food, a strong, commanding, yet _friendly _voice urging them to sit and eat. Even Anima and Animus were ordered—in the manner of any overzealous host to esteemed guests—to take a seat and make merry before they got down to 'dirtier' business.

What really got Sora, though, was that this person could only be two years older than Riku at the most.

"My apologies for the delay!" Said the young man…the young _King_, a fine golden coronet upon his brow, clothing elegant yet restrained, made of obviously expensive fabrics but functional still in its use. He was taller than the both of them, broad-shouldered and strong of arm, skin sun-darkened to match the fairly well-kept thatch of blond hair atop his head. "When the only excuse you have is that you're 'entertaining' a pair of visiting Keybearers, it makes getting the aristocracy off your back a tiring task."

Sora wondered if he should tell him that it wasn't a problem—even when it was—but he was all but shoved into a seat before he could respond, Riku receiving the same treatment a moment later. The two Heartless tagging along behind them skittered under the table and into chairs on the opposite side, even though, looking at them, the scene was almost ridiculous. Heartless didn't need to eat, per se, and even though they could—as Animus liked to prove on a constant basis—having them at the table was really…odd.

_And this Arthur person doesn't have a problem with this?_

The Keyblade Master of Souls wondered if this country's ruler was all there in the head, but Merlin looked entirely at ease with the young man's behavior, taking what appeared to be his customary seat next to the head of the table. Arthur claimed the high chair, which wasn't really any different from theirs other than its placement, with a pleased grunt, grinning at them as he gestured to the table.

"Please, have all you'd like! You were traveling all day, or so I heard."

"…er, yeah, that's right," Sora affirmed somewhat awkwardly, Riku only nodding. Animus didn't need any other encouragement, and began to attack the various plates and platters with reckless abandon. Sora dodged a flying turkey leg with the ease of long practice. "But, uh, as much as we appreciate the gesture…"

"Nonsense!" Arthur bellowed in a loud voice, fist pounding enthusiastically on the table, causing the goblets set in front of them to jump. "It is hardly enough! Why, word of your deeds has traveled from world to world, and to have you visit our little corner of the country is an honor indeed."

…_um, what? Didn't he just say that we weren't actually here for a just a visit?_

Sora—and Riku, who was beginning to look annoyed—both opened their mouths to speak, but the monarch cut them off. "I'll just have to think of something a little better than a meal, then. Tell me, have either of you ever ridden a horse?"

Both of them blinked; it was easy to tell Riku's blinks by the movement of his eyebrows. "A what?"

An almost feral grin spread across Arthur's face. "A horse, lads! Equus caballus! A man's boon companion in battle or in sport!"

Sora was fidgeting in his chair, wondering just what was going on. "And…what about it?"

"…WHAT ABOUT IT? Great stars, you haven't _lived _until you've ridden a horse! Why, we'll have to fix that as soon as we're done here. So, eat up! We can't have you braving the world of equestrian delights on an empty stomach!"

Sora managed a half-hearted laugh, Riku sitting in stony silence, various food items still dancing about the air as Animus worked his way inwards on the table. It was Merlin, however, who calmly cleared his throat, the twinkle still in his eyes.

"They've gone, your Majesty."

To Sora's surprise, Arthur smiled, leaning back in his chair as the 'mad glint' left his gaze. "Good. I was beginning to think I was traumatizing our guests."

"So it was all a front," Riku commented, nonchalantly batting Animus' claw away from his plate.

"Was it that obvious? Heh, you'd be surprised how easily some of my 'advisors' will buy that," Arthur said with a rueful laugh, shaking his head. "They expect a hot-headed kid instead of a competent leader. It wasn't like this when I was younger, but, well…times change, as they always do."

_I hear that. _"So I guess we were being listened to, right?"

Merlin nodded. "Correct. There has been some…suspicion as to the current crisis, but the assumptions made have all been wrong."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I hear that." Sora blinked, but no one noticed. It was…weird, how the King kept switching between formal language and the kind of slang he himself was used to. "Did you know I got an irate letter from a carpenter telling me that, even _if _I enjoyed the flesh of children, I was damaging the economy by robbing him of his heir?"

That actually merited an exasperated sigh from the wizard, but Sora didn't really blame him. As it was, both Keyblade Masters were staring, a frown tugging at Riku's lips. "That's going too far. Surely something that ridiculous sounding wouldn't hold water?"

"That _should _have been the case," Arthur replied, the lingering traces of his smile disappearing as his eyes darkened. He seemed much older now, just as Riku could appear far beyond his actual years now and then. "And that's all the more unnerving. It isn't just the disappearances, but the atmosphere surrounding the entire situation. Rumors are much more powerful than they should be, especially considering ones like the case I mentioned are becoming the standard."

"When King Mickey informed us of what had occurred, we couldn't help but assume that this was somehow related," Merlin continued for him. "Kidnappings are terrible enough of an occurrence, but without any leads whatsoever and this mysterious increase in hostility toward the King—the majority of it groundless—it seems logical to connect the events."

"Because influencing people's emotions goes with breaking through a barrier tuned to hearts," Sora finished him with, though a more knowledgeable part of his mind pointed out that it was _Riku's _Keyblade that was attuned to hearts. Only one had sway over one aspect of a person. Riku handled hearts, Sora handled souls, and Mickey…

…_we still don't know about Mickey, come to think of it. He's…never said…_

Arthur was nodding and speaking again, however, and Sora filed that thought away for analysis at a later date. "That's about the gist of it. And, despite all the nasty rumors going around about yours truly, I still don't want the general populace to know just how bad this might be. We've only just recently gotten over what happened with the Heartless." The King paused to nod slightly at Anima and Animus. "No offense or anything."

"None taken!" Animus said exuberantly, waving his—thankfully empty—goblet around in the air. Anima only inclined her head.

"Which is why we're here," Riku said, looking a bit more relaxed now that they were down to business, so to speak. Sora really couldn't blame him. "Do you have anything that could help us find this person? All we were told was that they were supposedly behind the child disappearances."

"The best we've been able to uncover is a name," Arthur told them, a scowl on his features now.

Sora was a little surprised. "Just a name? But we were told this had been happening for nearly a month now…" He stopped, then shook his head, answering his own question. "But with everything, I guess we should've expected that. At least with a name I have something to look for."

Both Merlin and Arthur looked at him curiously and Sora grinned sheepishly. "Comes from being a Keyblade Master. My type of Keyblade Master, anyway. A name is a definition of a person, even if it's just 'it' or 'that guy'."

_And a soul is what perceives reality. Without a soul, even if you have a body and power and memories, it doesn't make you or the world around you any more real._

_Aros showed me that._

"So as long as I at least have a name, I might be able to track this guy…or girl…or whatever," Sora concluded, gaining confidence with each word. It wasn't like he'd actually _tried _this before, but it was conceivably possible, at least according to Anima and Animus. All he had to do was concentrate on the name and _listen_, the music of that entity's particular soul audible no matter how far away they might have been.

For the first time since they'd entered the room, Arthur looked encouraged and he nodded.

"In that case, the one we're after is called The Coachman."

**……………**

Four smithies, six stables, twelve private estates, and a public taxi service later later, Sora was feeling less than stellar about his lauded ability to find a person via their name. 'The Coachman' applied to quite a bit of people and Sora was a little tired of getting the same response _every damn place _they went to. Stares, anger, whispers, and outright hostility were to be expected in some cases, but every person, every place? Sora could understand more clearly what Arthur and Merlin had been getting at, and he was surprised they hadn't appeared more worried than they had. About the only thing that had prevented Sora and Riku from being mobbed for appearing on someone's doorstep had been the presence of Anima and Animus.

It seemed that whatever was affecting the people could not quite overcome the lingering fear of Heartless. It was one thing to feel threatened and angered by the disappearance of children, and another to have those feelings amplified by some unseen force, but memories of a consumed world and a great, empty darkness were quite something else. This was fortunate for them, anyway, considering they wouldn't have even been allowed into these places, much less allowed to ask questions and look around, if not for that inherent intimidation.

So, while not _too _hindered, they were getting the job done. Maybe. It was a little difficult to tell, at least for Sora. Every 'coachman' they'd spoken to so far hadn't been the one they were looking for, mainly because they were just as normal as their fellows, at least according to the Keybearers' senses. Normal men and women, no more darkness or light than anyone they'd ever seen before, and certainly no means to spirit away children without leaving a trace of themselves, much less travel world to world.

_Unless, of course, they're just as good at hiding as I hoped they wouldn't be_, Sora grumbled inwardly as their ragtag quartet left the premises of yet another dead end. It was STILL raining and traveling from place to place to place meant that, by this point—the middle of the night, to be exact—they were drenched to the bone and miserable. Even Animus looked miserable, normally pristine white skin stained a miserly gray, golden lines faded to a more brownish yellow. Anima, in contrast, was black all over, her own crimson markings all but invisible in the rain and darkness. Sora suspected that he would have to wash his clothes three or four times the next opportunity they had; his shoes, his pants, his coat, his shirt, _everything _looked like it had originally been the color of mud. About the only thing _not _reduced to dreary colors was Riku's hair, safely tucked away inside the hood of his coat. Sora loved his own long and dramatically billowing—when it wasn't raining—coat, but it _did _lack a hood.

Thusly, Sora was viewing the world through a curtain of brown spikes mashed onto his head. Unlike Yami, he didn't have the almost legendary ability to keep his hair up when it was damp.

"So…next one?" Riku asked as they plodded out onto the deserted, water-logged street. It couldn't even really be called a street anymore; Sora had already started to ponder if he should transform something into a boat. It would make a traveling a little easier anyway.

Wearily, Sora concentrated again, seeking in the surrounding area for a pattern of music he hadn't heard before. One presented itself immediately, though it was a bit farther away than the others had been, its melody a little slower. Sounded almost like an oboe, though Sora was only moderately familiar with the instrument. He raised a hand, pointing in the appropriate direction, away from the center of the town and in more of a 'warehouse' district, with large buildings devoted to mills and stores of food and supplies in case of emergency. His brows lifted as he realized this and he glanced at Riku…or who he assumed to be Riku, anyway. The figure was mainly a slightly lighter splotch on a muggy background.

"It's over there. And I might be wrong, but isn't that area supposed to be mainly uninhabited? No people should live there, anyway."

Riku nodded, streams of water sliding off the edge of his hood. "Sounds like a better lead than what we've had so far. Let's go."

Aware that wasting time wasn't a good idea—plus, if they went into a storehouse, they'd be out of the rain—they took off at as fast a sprint as they dared, murky water splashing up around their legs. Sora was used to it by now, ignoring the sharp chills that ran up along his spine, concentrating only on keeping from slipping and careening into the sludge…again. He now knew there was more than just mud down there.

He had learned quite a few things over the course of the evening, in fact. Like what a horse was. It seemed this world had never heard of—much less used—Chocobos, so their main mode of transportation fell to an entirely different creature. Or creatures, as the case was. There were horses of all shape and size and color, as well as subspecies like ponies, donkeys, and mules. Even though they were all of the same basic shape—four-legged, hoofed, with manes and tails and long muzzles—there was such variety that Sora had started to blur them all together in his mind. Sure, there were a lot of different kinds of Chocobo, but this…well, this was a bit much.

And they all, each and every one of them, were prone to leaving little 'surprises' on the street as they went about their day to day business. Surprises which were now stealthily hidden in the mud and grime beneath their feet. Sora knew they were there, of course. Oh, how he knew.

He seriously didn't want to know what he smelled like.

They reached their destination in a decent amount of time, skidding and sliding to a stop at a large, barred door. The music had grown steadily louder as they approached, Sora flinching a bit at the volume and the…well, the harmony, for lack of a better word. Disharmony might have been better, since, for all intents and purposes, it just sounded _off_. Like something was very, very wrong, but this person, whatever they were, were just continuing on just as normal. Sora knew they'd definitely found something this time, and it made the rest of the evening's failures worthwhile.

"Should we just go in?" Sora murmured as low as he could, aware that being discovered by whatever was inside wasn't a good idea. But the rain was pelting them as relentlessly as ever and shouts were about the only way to communicate.

"It's not like we have a choice," Riku answered, the fingers on his right hand clenching in anticipation. Calling the Keyblades now would be a dead giveaway as to who they were and what they were doing there, though, so he refrained. "I don't see any windows, anyway."

Sora chewed his lip, weighing their options. Riku had noticed the same thing he had: no windows, no other doors, at least that they could see. The building was sandwiched between others of its kind, all rough-hewn stone and rain-choked, thatched roofs. Storehouses, they'd been told, and who had need for windows or any other doors in storehouses? He didn't like the fact that they only had one way in. He'd already established that the music he was hearing was seriously wrong on many levels—he was starting to get a headache from listening to it—and a single door just screamed trap.

Like always, Sora made a decision.

"We'll just have to risk it," he stated, shoving the wet hair out of his gaze, eyes serious. "This place…it feels and _sounds_ wrong. It's the best lead we've had all night, so there's nothing else we can do."

Riku nodded his agreement, the older teen approaching the door, gloved hands closing around the wide wooden slab that blocked their path. It was slippery business, and Sora stepped forward to help him, the two of them lifting the bar with some difficulty and dropping it to the ground, resulting in yet another splash of water and gunk over their clothing. They ignored it, however, intent on other things and, together, shoved in the heavy door.

Immediately, Sora was struck by the _noise_. It'd been blocked off by the sound of the rain outside, but as they stumbled into the dank, shadowy confines of the storehouse, his ears were assaulted by a din that even drowned out the music. Next was the stink, an amplified version of the vaguely unpleasant smell of animal droppings, something that was always part of one stable or another. It was never so bad, really, especially if the stable was well-kept, but _this_…Sora's eyes were watering before he was even a step or two inside and it took a great deal of will to keep down the meal Arthur had graciously provided. After that, it was the dim lighting that he gradually adjusted to that let him see the contents of the storehouse, which was much, much bigger than he'd originally assumed, stretching back what looked like at least a hundred yards.

_But…but how is that possible? Only the castle was that big!_

He abruptly saw what was making all the noise. The storehouse was filled with row after row after row of pens and tiny, cramped stables, all against the walls. Between them, the long 'hallway' of dirt and mud and straw and feces was peppered with crates, as well as wide support beams that stretched to the ceiling high above. In the pens and stables and crates and tethered to the beams were what had to be hundreds of _donkeys_, all of them juveniles or younger, some looking as though they had only just been able to leave their mothers. Colors varied from creature to creature, some gray, others brown, but each one appeared in one kind of distress or another, braying out their misery or remaining silent, heads and ears drooped in utter despair. They all seemed to be in decent enough condition, some small measure of food nearby despite how the rest of the place was a total, stinking mess, but Sora somehow _knew _the sense of utter hopelessness had to do with more than just their surroundings.

At the Keybearers' entrance, the nearest donkeys jerked their heads up, watching them with shock and fear, shrinking away. Sora immediately felt his heart clench, taking a step forward, hand outstretched.

"Sora," Riku cautioned, a hand going to his shoulder. "Hold on."

"But Riku!" Sora exclaimed, trying to shrug him off. "I don't know what the heck is going on, but look at them! We have to do something…"

"I know," the silver-haired Bearer replied, lips pursed. "Just hold on a minute. With this many we'll need help and we need to figure out what's going on here first. I know you see it too; this place is too damn big. And look at that thing."

Riku gestured to an area of slightly darker space off to the left, tucked in the corner near the door, and Sora's eyes widened again. For all intents and purposes, it was a coach, but he'd never seen one made quite that way. It was huge, much too big even for the largest of the horses he'd seen, it's surface blacker than black, the muted light from the smoky torches set in the walls and beams not reflecting off it at all. The metal portions on the doors and wheels were a stark silver, standing out considerably, curves and corners sharp like knives, the door of the coach without the customary window. It was as wrong-looking as the situation, and Sora felt his tenseness increase, hand itching to summon the Keyblade, if only for the reassurance it brought him.

"I guess that's where the 'Coachman' part comes in," he said through gritted teeth. "So it's pretty safe to assume we found our guy, or at least where he's working out from. But where is he? And the kids?"

Riku glanced out into the wide expanse of the storehouse again, jaw tightening. "My first guess would be that this guy is using them for labor, but…I don't see _or _sense any hearts in the area besides the donkeys. There's no one here."

They both knew that spelled trouble more than anything else. Glancing at each other and exchanging a nod, they both turned to go back out the door. Keyblade Masters or not, it was stupid to just plunge in without help, especially when they had no real idea what was going on, even now. So they'd head back to the castle, inform Arthur of what they found, and come back when it was daylight, minus all the stupid rain, and with a group of soldiers at their backs.

It was unfortunate that the door—they hadn't noticed that it was stone before—chose that moment to slam shut.

"Well, I knew they'd send somebody after me eventually, but I had no idea it'd be the only other Keyblade Masters. I feel honored."

The voice had an accent. Cockney, their various experiences told them, and both Bearers whirled, Keyblades flashing into their hands.

"But I've got a good business going here, boys, the best I've ever had. I don't need you to come in here and ruin it."

They got a glimpse of him. Robust, almost fat, swathed in a long red coachman's coat with golden buttons, a faded blue scarf around his neck. A hat hung low over his brow, untidy white hair poking out here and there, bushy brows above dark, scheming eyes.

"It'd be much better if you'd contribute somethin'. Just think of it! Keybearers would fetch a hefty, _hefty _price. So why not stay a while?"

Then the world heaved, altered, shifted terribly out of place, and Sora knew no more.

**……………**

When he next became aware of himself, Sora's first thought was that, even though he felt terrible, he wasn't wet anymore. That was a relief, at least. The next that the surface he was laying on was hard and uncomfortable. He was somewhat irked by that, but he'd slept on dirt before, so it was no biggie. The last thing was that he was really, really thirsty and his groggy mind decided that, before it investigated anything else, it would quench that annoying thirst.

Stumbling to his feet—_man_, he felt weird. Messed up. Like nothing fit together anymore—Sora staggered towards what smelled vaguely like water. He'd certainly know what water smelled like by now, what with all the rain and all. What bothered him was the noise droning on and on in the background. It was…annoying. As was the smell. Dimly, he was ware that he should be concerned about that. It was important…somehow. But, at the moment, all that he cared about was taking a nice, long drink and he finally reached his goal, lowering his head…

And screamed.

Except that it didn't come _out _as a scream. Instead, it sounded more like this:

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE."

The funny thing, though, was that, to his ears, it still sounded like he was screaming. Distantly, he wondered if being a Keyblade Master even let him understand the language of animals.

"Sora…you need to calm down."

Sora spun around and nearly fell over, center of balance in a totally different place than when he last remembered. Also, he was pretty sure donkeys didn't talk, but it sure seemed like they did now.

The one talking to him was a juvenile, nearly an adult, taller than the others he'd seen earlier. More built, and perfectly white in color, not gray at all. Mane, tail, everything, all white, save for the hooves, each of them a perfect black. The coloring was odd, in a way, but not as odd as the eyes. An unusual shade of turquoise, like the sea when lit with sunlight…

…_no way._

_…and where did his blindfold go…?_

"…you can stop staring now," the white donkey grumbled, looking annoyed. If that…was even…possible…Sora felt like was going to pass out and, looking down, he nearly did.

_That's…just not fair. Why do I have to be brown? It's boring…_

Vaguely, he realized it was the exact same shade of brown as his hair. He also realized that there was probably no such thing as a silver donkey, hence why Riku was white.

"…that you, Riku?"

"…yeah," the donkey replied, stepping over—Sora noticed that he wasn't too sure on his feet…hooves…either—and nudging him with his nose. "You alright?"

Sora managed a snort of laughter, even though it was more of an actual donkey snort. He ignored that as best he could, just like he was ignoring the tail flicking against his legs almost of its own accord. He was gradually calming down, which was a good thing. It wasn't like he hadn't been in a different body before; he just didn't like being surprised. "No, not really. What happened?"

"No idea," Riku replied with a sigh—or a huff, in donkey speak—ears drooping slightly. He didn't even seem to notice that they did. "That didn't seem like any spell I'd ever seen before. There wasn't any buildup of magic, or any kind of energy at all."

Sora nodded and glanced around. They were in one of the pens he'd seen earlier, though one devoid of any other donkeys but themselves. He couldn't be entirely sure how far back they were into the building; the walls of the pen were higher than the others, the Coachman probably taking into account that they'd be older than the majority of the others, and more than likely capable of jumping fences. It was probably lucky that the pen was clean and dry, straw scattered here and there, a trough of water alongside a trough of food.

_Well, he _did _say he wanted to sell us. Why treat us harshly, then?_

"We know what happened to the kids now, at least," Sora said, voice gaining a hint of anger. "And judging by the amount of donkeys in here, it hasn't just been this town…or even just this world. It may be a little farfetched, but that coach…"

Riku nodded. "I was thinking that, too. Although I don't see the point of going from world to world to change children into _animals_. If he has the capability to do all that he's doing, why just stick to this?"

"Maybe he hasn't decided to do something else yet?" Sora tried to shrug, discovered that he couldn't, and flicked an ear instead. "If that's the case, it's good that we caught up with him."

"Just a matter of kicking his ass now," Riku said with almost feral intent, which looked and sounded…really funny, coming from a donkey, but Sora chose not to comment.

Instead, he chose to nod with total agreement. He hadn't learned that transformation spell for nothing, after all! Feeling much better than when he had woken up and seen his reflection, Sora called the Keyblade and…watched it plop onto the dirt in front of him.

…_duh, Sora. No hands._

Feeling like an idiot, Sora took a few steps forward and lowered his head, grabbing at the hilt with his mouth…but to no avail. Annoyance rising, Sora tried again, then again, but each time got the same result. He may not have been aware of this before, but horses—and most equines in general—grasped food and objects with their lips, and used their large teeth for grinding. The Keyblade, however…it was too heavy to lift with just his lips. After the nineteenth try, Sora slowly, shakily looked up at Riku.

"Um…Riku?"

"…what?"

"I can't pick up the Keyblade."

"You can't…but don't you need it to…cast spells?"

"…yeah."

There was a long silence.

"…well, shit."

**……………**

**Next Chapter: **Monstrous and Empty

**Characters: **Merlin, Arthur – _The Sword in the Stone_, The Coachman - _Pinocchio_


	8. Monstrous and Empty

**AN: **Hnn…been a couple of months. That's just how these things go, no? Thankfully—gloriously, euphorically—I have bought and finished _Kingdom Hearts II_. As a result, inspiration and ideas—and some stuff that I feel I should include, due to its sheer awesomeness—is going to start filtering down into this fanfic. Nothing major, of course, considering this is about as AU as one can get. However, there will be things here and there. For example, the last line in this chapter.

It couldn't be helped, really. They put is so much more eloquently and succinctly than I, so I just had to borrow the line. :3

**……………**

_**Reign of Dreams**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

"Don't it feel like the wind is always howlin'?

Don't it feel like there's never any light?"

…"It's a Hard-Knock Life", _Annie_

**……………**

**Chapter VII: Monstrous and Empty**

Wakka struggled out of the thick greenery with a grin on his face, various bits and twigs sticking out of his hair. He was a little bruised and battered, sure, but he'd managed to catch the Blitzball anyway, and his trophy was tucked under one arm. The younger brother he might have been, but there wasn't a toss that Cielo could try that he couldn't catch. Triumphantly, he strutted back out onto the beach, though he paused, looking up and squinting a bit.

"…wow, it got cloudy fast, ya?" He said, half worried, half amused. It hardly ever got cloudy this time of year; most precipitation liked to swing up north. More than that, however, was that he was pretty sure that there hadn't been _any _clouds at all when he'd dove into the trees after the ball. It just wasn't possible for them to dot the sky so quickly, especially when there wasn't…

"…okay. Now I _know _something be goin' on," Wakka commented with a frown, and glanced further up the sand belt. Instantaneous clouds were one thing. A chill wind rushing across the tropical sea was quite something else. "What do ya…think…bro…?"

Wakka didn't get a chance to speak again. There came a hiss and a rush of air, and something sleek and fast with sharp wings and glowing eyes but bearing his brother's face came down upon him. He was dead before he hit the sand.

The sky above went black.

**……………**

How Kairi got conned into taking the guided tour on the way back, she'd never know. Maybe it was because she had so enjoyed the company of the Blades, or maybe because she really had no idea how to get back to the banquet hall. Either way, Zack was cheerfully striding a few steps ahead of her; Serge and Fayt had both gone to get cleaned up after their practice session, though Serge had promised to come visit her again before she left the Bastion. Zack had suggested that Albel come along on the 'tour', to which Albel had only responded with a deadpan stare, expression unamused. Thusly, it was just her and the Light Blade Captain, though Kairi was already quite at ease with him. Open, cheerful, confident, and funny, he was the perfect company, even if he seemed to enjoy talking quite a bit.

"This time of year the Bastion is full of people, actually. The government moves in cycles and we're in the middle of a three month long 'public advancement' cycle, which basically means anyone who wants to petition for anything comes on down. Some even travel from halfway around the world," Zack was currently informing her, weaving easily through the surprisingly thick crowds of people that conjugated in this hallway. Though thoroughfare might have been a better word; how this place could have existed, Kairi didn't know, but she could swear a miniature city had been hidden inside Hollow Bastion.

It was entirely possible for her house to be duplicated ten or fifteen times, each clone placed right next to each other one after another, and still leave walking room on either side. Shops and other long—though thinner—roads broke off from the main street, the 'sky' above really a collection of multiple floors, floating platforms, archways and twining ornamentation, all topped by a roof of pale, nearly transparent peach-colored glass high, high above. The voices of literally thousands of people created a constant rumble of sound all around her, very nearly vibrating her bones, the colors flashed from all directions, store fronts and clothing and sculptures and all manner of things she couldn't possibly identify.

A town within a castle within a city within a country within a single, unified world…it very nearly overwhelmed her, though Kairi was doing her best to resist the tide of unease rising in her chest. She still had a 'job' to do, at least in some part. Faint traces of doubt lingered concerning the absolute truth of what Reena had said, but she no doubt had serious proof of it. So the real problem was figuring out how to deal with it. Kairi was aware that she'd been rash when she had run off before; fleeing from a tough situation never helped anything, so better to go and deal with it, even if she wasn't very sure how at this point.

"…and I like cheese on my crackers and the socks I'm wearing don't match and I have a mole on my left butt cheek and I take it you're paying attention now, mm hmm?"

Kairi blinked.

…_oops._

Flustered, she hastily answered. "I'm so sorry! I…um, I was thinking…"

Zack, rather than being angry, only grinned. "I figured. But hey, most of this stuff is pretty boring. The basics of the Bastion go more like this: it's big. A lot of people equal a lot of different opinions. So getting anything done takes forever, and there's red tape and hidden complexities like you wouldn't believe."

That gave Kairi pause and, though Zack was looking ahead again, cheerfully leading the way through the crowd once more, she suspected he had been paying very close attention to _her_. Kairi didn't like to think of herself as an open book, but Zack was shrewder than he let on. If she took what he said a bit more literally, it meant that however this was to be resolved was going to take a while, and wouldn't be pretty. Maybe not necessarily because of Reena herself or what she wanted, but because of the state of things on this world in general.

_Unity comes at the price of freedom. You can't do everything you used to, and there are more than just your own interests to be concerned with in every situation._

Helpful advice indeed.

This time, she caught it when Zack glanced back at her, and returned his faint smile. "Glad to see you're keeping up, Kairi. We're taking the long way back to the administrative area of the Bastion, but I'm sure you don't mind. We can stop by the research section on the way, if you'd like to talk to Dr. Uzuki again."

Kairi's smile broadened almost of its own violation. "That would be nice. I take it you know him pretty well?"

"I know the people he works with more, but yeah," Zack actually grimaced after a moment. "Though some are better than others. It can't be helped, I suppose…"

"Hmm?" Kairi tilted her head, confused. "What can't be helped?"

Zack sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair as they turned down one of the 'side' streets, approaching what Kairi recognized as a more ornate version of the usual Hollow Bastion lifts. "One of the research floors is still under renovation. So two departments are using the same lab space: technological and biological. Dr. Uzuki is in the technology department, but, uh…" He grimaced again. "You'll see, I guess. If we're lucky he won't be there."

Kairi was more confused than ever, but she chose not to comment. She would find out when they got there, she supposed, and she chose to simply watch her surroundings as they continued, taking in the spectacle. She would certainly have stories to tell to Sora and Riku when she got home.

_I hope…they're doing alright, too. Nothing too serious._

She sighed mentally, fingers playing with the hem of her skirt. It was easy to forget; forget how much they'd gone through, what it meant. Their lives weren't 'normal' anymore and would never be so again, no matter how they might act. Sora did his best to remain the cheerful, brightly smiling child, but Kairi would remember from time to time that those days were over. It was nice to see it in him, and they were both aware that they were comforted by it, but it wouldn't last forever. Things changed, time rolled forward, and they became new and different people as each day passed.

…_still. Still, we've had enough. We won. We should be allowed to rest now._

Kairi set her jaw, jogging a little to catch up with Zack as he reached the lift. This place was overwhelming, yes. And there was probably a lot more to what Reena had been saying than what Kairi had thought the first time. But she would _not _let it change what had become the truth: they were done, and they would always go home in the end. She believed—she _knew_—that Sora and Riku thought the same, though Riku was more at ease with the world than they.

The bottom line was that they wouldn't let anything take their happiness away.

**……………**

"Brother, are you putting on weight?"

"…I'm rather offended by that question."

A tall, slender young man with dark hair and gleaming green armor smiled affably. "You know I don't mean anything by it. Just a harmless question."

His shorter and equally dark-haired older brother frowned at him, a hand on the rich crimson stomach of his own armor. "Well, I'm not. So stop asking."

His brother chuckled, though his expression grew faintly serious. "Actually, I meant that honestly. Your face is a little heavier-looking."

The elder's frown increased. "Really? I'd actually…noticed that myself. But only this morning."

They were silent for a few moments, mulling this information over. Their positions demanded that they be in nearly perfect physical condition. They were charged with protecting the ruler of their kingdom at all times, and being overweight was not something they could allow themselves to become.

"I'll look into it when we get back," the elder finally stated, shaking his head.

"If that's alright…," the younger started to say, but was interrupted as one of the Bastion guards came up to them, bowing low and speaking quickly.

"I-I'm sorry, Sirs, b…but she's already left."

Both brothers stared, though it was the younger who blurted out his reaction first. "What? She only arrived this morning! She has been in the council meeting room all day!"

The guard swallowed, standing straight again, looking obviously nervous. He had good reason; you didn't want to tell the protectors of an entire kingdom that their main charge was missing.

"W-We don't know what happened, but she never came in! Wherever she is, she's not in this castle."

The elder scowled, voice harsh. It wasn't often that Mario got angry, but when he did, it was not something anyone wished to face. His brother Luigi, standing beside him, face equally stony, knew this quite well.

"But how could Princess Peach be in _another _castle?"

**……………**

"Ah, Captain Faolan. How wonderful to see you."

Zack was grimacing again. "Sorry it isn't mutual. Is Dr. Uzuki here?"

"Why do you want to see him?" Asked the man in the impeccable white lab coat, greasy-looking hair pulled back into a ponytail, eyeing Zack and Kairi over the top of his round spectacles. His complexion was oddly sallow, as though he had once had a tan but had let it waste away during long hours spent inside. The eyes that watched her were dark, murky, and she decided at once that she didn't care for him at all.

"That's really none of your business, Hojo," Zack said affably, though his eyes were glaring.

"Is that so?"

Overall, she didn't much care for this place, either. It was just as she would have thought a laboratory would have looked like, though styled after the bastion. The colors were a soft gold and silver and peach, fragile-looking metal and glass gleaming in the light coming in from the high, thin windows. There was a decidedly sterile scent in the air, burning the inside of her nose, and the long tables that took up the majority of the space were laden with devices and chemicals and contraptions that she couldn't really fathom even if she tried.

The centerpiece of this part of the room, however, was a cube of clear, gleaming glass upraised on a small platform. It was maybe twelve feet across on each face, and fifteen feet high. Within it were a desk and chair, a bed, and a small, curtained-off area, apparently for privacy purposes. Everything was a pristine white, as sterile as the rest of the room, but it was obviously meant to be used, a book open on the desk.

There was someone curled under the covers of the bed, white sheets slowly rising and falling as they breathed.

"Why is someone in there?" Kairi spoke up, voice carefully neutral. If it was what she thought it was…

Hojo gave her a placid smile. "It is a specimen."

"His _name _is Naoki," Zack spat at once, giving Hojo the dirtiest look so far. "And the only reason he's in there is because Hikawa used his damn majority monopoly in the council hearing."

Hojo's smile didn't fade, and Kairi was confused, besides just angry. They were keeping a _person_ in there. She resisted a glare—rudeness probably wouldn't earn her answers—and asked again. "But why is he in there?"

Murky eyes gleamed in an almost mocking manner, and Hojo gestured with a hand. "Why don't I show you? It's time he awoke, anyway."

With that, he stepped up to the glass and gave it a sharp tap, the sound surprisingly loud in the otherwise still air. The lump in the sheets jerked, seemed to deflate, and pushed up into a sitting position, white fabric falling to the side. Kairi stared.

"What do you want, Hojo?" The young man with rumpled dark hair and gleaming golden eyes asked with some annoyance. He wouldn't have been so out of the ordinary, really—Zack had gold eyes, so maybe it was common on this world—if not for the tattoos…or _whatever _they were. Geometric and symmetrical, black, curving, spiked lines and circles and squares in an obvious pattern covered the whole of his body, or at least however much of his body that Kairi could see. Bordering the black markings were much thinner lines of a bluish green that were actually _glowing_, casting a faint, eerie light on the glass.

…_a specimen, he said._

"Why, a young lady asked about you," Hojo said with a mocking smile, gesturing lightly at Kairi. "Quite a precedent, isn't it?"

The young man—he was maybe Riku's age—gave Hojo the same kind of glare Zack had. "Excuse me if I can't express my uncontrollable euphoria."

"Oh? Such a shame."

"So!" Zack said a bit loudly, a brilliant smile on his face, though Kairi didn't miss how his fist was clenching and unclenching. He slung an arm around her shoulders, turning her to face the glass. "Kairi, this is Naoki. Naoki, Kairi."

The glare faded and Naoki nodded, smiling a bit tiredly and lifting a faintly glowing hand in greeting. "Hi. Come to see the freak show?"

Kairi opened her mouth immediately to say otherwise, but Zack beat her to it, giving Naoki a disapproving frown. "Do you need me to come in there and smack you? I won't have you learning Hojo-isms through osmosis."

Hojo was the one to make the disapproving frown now, but Naoki actually laughed a little, leaning back in his bed, giving Kairi a better view of the markings traveling down his stomach and disappearing into the black shorts he wore. Hojo looked even more disapproving. "That is quite enough, Captain Faolan. _I _won't have you influencing my subject."

Zack's arm dropped from Kairi's shoulders as the man turned to face the other, expression getting that serious look again. Not a _dangerous _look, but one that could easily become dangerous, should the occasion call for it. "Your 'subject' wouldn't be here if not for petty politics. Hikawa wanted to look good for the people back in his home kingdom, so he removed a 'demon' and gave him to you. He's no more demon than I am."

Hojo glared for half a moment more, then smirked, something odd flashing in his eyes. "You would be surprised at the truth of that last statement, _Captain_."

Something about the way he said it must have struck a cord with Zack, as the dark-haired man immediately stiffened, expression making the shift from warning to openly threatening. "_That_…has nothing to do with demons, either."

"How interesting," Hojo replied affably, unruffled in any way. "Your opinion is not shared by the majority of the people in the Bastion. I wonder why…?"

"Maybe because the truth wasn't distorted by the media or swept under the rug by the government before he became aware of it," Naoki snapped, having moved from the bed to stand directly on the other side of the glass, fists tight at his sides.

The look Hojo gave Naoki was more disdainful rather than smirky, like one would glance at a disobedient puppy. "…hn. I see the Captain has been coming to visit you when I am not present."

There was no way Kairi could miss the tension slowly building as the conversation went on, and she knew she would have to intervene somehow. Even if, really, she had no idea what was going on. They were referring to something, she knew, something that had happened in the Bastion…something big. But it was just one more thing that she had never known, and never cared about, and never would have, if she had not come here and learned that she did indeed have some deeper connection to this world.

Did she even have a right to interfere…? What could she do, in the end? It was with an odd lurch in her stomach that Kairi realized that, if she ever really wanted to make a difference, even in a contained situation like this, she would have to know more. She'd have to stay here, learn the history, the politics, the people, the great, wide world beyond this one castle. And she would have to admit to being part of the Tycoon family.

After all, they were members of the council, weren't they? The highest position of all…

…_what am I **thinking**? I don't know anything, and it'd take years to learn. This…I don't belong here. I'll listen to Reena, see what she has to say, but…_

Kairi supposed her decision was already made. Above all, she just wanted to go home. Back to the simple island, and simple life. Back to the friends that needed her, and that she needed in turn. Even if, as she watched the three in front of her, she felt the need, distant and strong, to do _something_.

_Even if…there's nothing I can really do…_

_…nothing…_

_…nothing…_

Maybe all it took was the thought. The implication of it. The passing, phantom-like sensation of nothingness. As if the awareness of it had always been there, and she had but to think on it to realize that one small thing that she had been missing. Except…it was not so small. Not so small at all.

However, her scream came a second too late, a deep, guttural laugh full of madness emerging from Hojo's throat as everything, all at once, changed.

**……………**

It was easy enough to see that something was wrong. The constantly crowded, teeming thoroughfares of the main section of the Bastion were empty, totally and completely devoid of life. Shops still had their wares out front, fresh meals lingered on the tables of the numerous cafés, and, as he watched, a small, slow-moving hover cart crashed into a pile of rubbish. It was almost as though everyone, in an instant, had disappeared.

Despite years of training, of conflict and constant battle, a cold knot of fear settled in his stomach. Something was terribly, horribly wrong, more so now than ever. She had had gone missing only twenty minutes before, and he had emerged from the more secluded hallways to _this_…

Yes. Yes, it meant there was fear. A great deal of it. Yet he fought it off as best he could, breaking into an even run, sky blue eyes scanning every walkway, every cobbled street, every nook and cranny. He knew she was strong, as she always had been, and in his heart of hearts he believed that she would not have succumbed to whatever had stolen all the others away. It was that belief that gave him the strength to continue forward, grip tight on the hilt of his sword.

But it wasn't to remain so. Abruptly, so suddenly that it took his breath away, a piercing, fire-like pain lanced into his left hand, agony sweeping up his arm as he dropped his weapon. He grabbed his wrist with his other hand and screamed, unable to do anything else, dropping to his knees when a brilliant golden light blazed from the back of his hand.

Even through the pain, he was able to catch a glimpse of what was searing across his skin and clothing: three triangles joined at the corners. One was brighter than the others, burned more fiercely; the one on the lower left.

He didn't understand. And yet, at the same time, he did. A new kind of understanding was blossoming in his mind. He could _feel _her now, and…another as well. Something darker at the edge of his senses. Something he both knew and did not know. The only thing he could be certain of was that it was the _enemy_.

The light began to lessen, though the mark remained on the back of his hand, and Link bent to retrieve his sword, staggering up again and continuing forward. He would find Zelda, or die trying.

He didn't notice the man with the strange, dark green skin and glowing eyes watching him from the shadows.

**……………**

Where Hojo had stood was a writhing mass of flesh, bloated and painted in a variety of thick, sickly colors. He still had a vaguely human shape, but his legs seemed to melt together, exposed, salmon pink and mottled green muscles and tendons twisting around one another, hitting the floor and spreading like a brackish puddle of rotted skin and meat. An orb of blood red pulsed and shone in the region of his chest, membranes tight across it to keep it in place as the rest of him continued to mutate. One arm sagged and fell under its own weight, dragging a pus-oozing wrist as thick as a log along the floor as he twitched and jerked. The other arm stretched up, gnarled like a branch, purplish skin giving way to great, spiked bones in dirty yellow, like old teeth, each one flexing like fingers.

His face…he still had one, but there was nothing human to it now. His cheeks stretched and snapped, tucking back so that his jaw gaped like a cavernous hole, nightmarish teeth jerking up, higher and higher, until they pierced the roof of his mouth to form a ring around the tiny, brightly glowing pits of his eyes. Scraggly tufts of hair poked out at odd angles on the crown of his head, accented by the humps of flesh and spikes of bone jutting out of his neck. From the pit of his mouth lolled a fiendish tongue, pitted red like old blood, saliva that hissed and ate holes into the floor dripping from its tip.

Yet what frightened Kairi was the _laugh_. It was a groaning, inhuman sound, alternatingly low and high, continuing on and on without breath as Hojo twitched and jerked and watched them with a demon's eyes.

Kairi's chest was burning terribly and she realized she was still screaming. She had never been full of herself, but somehow, distantly, she realized that all the bravery she'd thought she had wasn't so deep after all. She couldn't move. Not an inch, nothing more than trembling. Frozen in spot, eyes wide, staring in horror, utter disbelief, and _fear_ as a thing out of the deepest pit lurched towards her, stinking hands closing around her shoulders, her neck, her head.

The screams that tore at her throat abruptly cut off. Kairi's breath was lost and she couldn't get it back again, heart stopping in her chest as oily skin and crusted bone squeezed.

_It's got me IT'S GOT ME!_

_**SORA!**_

Then, with the same sudden speed as her lost voice, the grotesque arms were torn away from her, Hojo flying back as Zack slammed into him shoulder first. Even such brief contact had its consequences and Kairi heard flesh sizzle as Hojo's tongue flopped and scattered a trail of acidic spit all down Zack's left arm and shoulder. But the Blade Captain didn't even flinch and pulled back to slam again, the force great enough to send Hojo skidding back several more feet.

The laugh choked off with a gurgle, then morphed into a grating, thundering roar that caused Kairi's very bones to quake.

"Kairi, _Kairi_!"

Kairi could breathe again and she sucked in deep lungfuls of air, backing up a step as Zack shouted over his shoulder at her, still turned to face the quickly recovering monster Hojo had become. He was protecting her, guarding her from the nightmarish creature while she'd been too frightened to budge an inch.

Shame twisted in her stomach even as she fought to focus.

"Get back out into the hall!" Zack continued, fists up in a fighting stance as Hojo advanced again.

"But what about you?" She shouted back, voice terribly small compared to the guttural sounds that wouldn't stop.

"Just _go_!"

"Oh, for the love of--!"

Kairi turned her head just in time to see Naoki pull back a fist, golden eyes flashing with an inhuman glow, and the glass wall between them was suddenly shattering into millions of pieces. She couldn't keep from gaping as he leapt over the glittering mess that had once been his prison, landing between Zack and Hojo. Zack seemed just as surprised as Kairi, but it was only a momentary thing, the Blade Captain's eyes grow steely, narrowing and tightening as he obviously worked through what Naoki intended to do.

"Let me handle this," Naoki told them in a low voice, hands clenching and unclenching, claw-like one moment, hardened fists the next. "Something's wrong…you need to get her out of here."

Zack took a long second to decide, difficult decisions flickering across his expression with astonishing speed, and then he nodded tightly. What surprised Kairi, though, was the grin that followed.

"Give him a good one for me, alright?"

Naoki mirrored his expression, a fearsome levity that looked as though it could stand up to anything. He grinned right back, and a distant part of Kairi stared at the sharpened canines that flashed.

"You know I will."

Abruptly, she realized that they were in serious danger because of her. Zack had taken her, the tourist, on the tour to begin with, and now this strange young man was facing that…that _thing_…

_No, I have to…do something…_

_…but what?_

However, before she could do more than open her mouth to protest, Zack spun around and grabbed her arm, charging for the door. "We're out of here!"

She nearly stumbled, sliding on the slick floor as they sped out the door, chest tightening painfully as she heard another roar from behind them, followed by a young voice yelling out a sharp battle cry. The sound of something sizzling, a heavy weight crashing into the wall with incredible force, bones snapping, and laugh and a cry and something wet and soft flopping to the floor in splashes of what had to be blood…

Then they were too far away to hear any more and Kairi at last paid attention to her surroundings, her fear only growing at what she saw. It was _dark_, darker than nightmares. Every window they passed was black. Not from clouds, or a storm, just black upon black upon black, as if someone had painted over the glass with inky colors. Doors and walls were torn in, or outwards, rubble and debris scattered across the hallways and corridors, fires burning in rooms and along the ceiling, the flames themselves somehow fragile and dim in the face of the blackness beyond the Bastion.

But more than the structure was damaged. Far, far more. Within the burning rooms, tossed about the scorched and crater-marked floor, were bodies. Dozens. Hundreds. People of all shapes and sizes, men, women, children…all dead. There were no wounded. In most cases, there were hardly any corpses. Just…pieces. Arms and legs lying prone, discarded manikin limbs that oozed blood. Smaller things, like ears or fingers, sometimes just hunks of flesh, a bone or two protruding out from the skin. Intestines, flung out along the floor like some grisly red carpet.

Kairi felt her mind closing down. This…she couldn't watch this. Yet she was. Her eyes burned from the heat of the fires, her muscles aching from the pace of their run, chest heaving, full of agony, as she fought to breathe without inhaling the scent of charred and cooked flesh, the smell of blood so thick she may as well have been inhaling clouds of it.

If it wasn't for Zack's hand, tight around her wrist, she might have just collapsed and been sick all over the floor. As it was, the bile kept rising in her throat, causing her to gag and retch despite her best efforts, and she stumbled for what felt like the thousandth time, nearly causing Zack to lose his grip.

It was an incident that cost them.

Thunder cracked the air and the entire wall to their left—a good distance away as they sprinted through what might have once been a ballroom—was simply blown inwards, stone and mortar flying. A wayward piece dug into her ribs, something snapping cleanly, and pain stole her breath away, but she didn't have time to be injured. From the gaping hole crawled another monstrous creature, though it was more recognizable than Hojo had been.

A spider. It was a spider. But so huge it took up more than half the room, immense as the room was. Built like a tarantula, but with skin like rock, the joints and stomach pitted inward, so that the majority of the skin slid over a molten fire underneath. Whatever the gigantic, clawed legs touched or brushed against immediately burst into flames, stone sagging and melting beneath it as it moved. It glowed, lighting up the room, though its eyes…there was no light there. Not even the gleam of it. Just pools of darkness, swallowing her horrified gaze.

_No…no…_

"Damnit," Zack cursed under his breath, body tight, very nearly vibrating with tension. The training outfit he wore was stained with soot and blood, and Kairi knew he needed a weapon. But there were none, and there was no way they could make it back to the training hall, or to wherever his usual weapon was kept.

She was shaking again. Or maybe she had been since back in the lab. She couldn't stop, no matter how she tried…

"When I tell you, make a break for that door," the Blade Captain murmured in a steady voice, expression slowly composing itself into deadly calm. Somehow, that only scared her more. "Run as fast as you can, and don't look back."

"But…"

"No buts. We can't let anything happen to you. Just do as I say, alright?"

There was nothing Kairi could say to that. But how she wished there was.

_I…I should be able to **do **something! Why can't I?_

_**Why**?_

Then there was no more time for thought, Zack shoving her hard in the direction of a small side door in the wall immediately to their right, and he was gone, charging an enemy he had no hope of defeating.

_This isn't fair!_

"Stop playin' the hero, spiky! Hurts my ears!"

Something—_two _somethings—blasted past Kairi in a flash of red and metallic orange, blowing her hair back and knocking her onto her rear. Another flash of pain stabbed into her chest from the region of her ribs, but suddenly someone else was there, a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Are you hurt, Kairi?"

"Citan!" Kairi couldn't help the shock in her voice, nor the wave of relief that nearly overcame her a moment later. Her hands shook, and a knot of emotion grew in her throat, but she hardly minded it at all. "Y-You're alright…"

"For the moment," Citan responded with a small smile, taking Kairi's hands and pulling her to her feet, expression growing serious again a second later. "We need to escape the Bastion. Now."

She was about to wholeheartedly agree when an explosion rocked the area and she was blown off her feet a second time, though her fall was softened by the fact that she landed on top of Citan. It didn't help the pain that was gradually increasing, but she ignored it for the moment, dragging herself off him and turning, eyes widening at the battle raging directly behind them.

Zack, lacking a weapon, was darting back and forth with that speed he had displayed earlier, only increased, a white blur blazing across the floor, catching the spider's attention again and again, drawing its focus away from the other two fighters. Focusing now, Kairi could make them out as they moved; nearest was a man of Zack's height and build, but dressed far differently. A red coat over a leather shirt and a pair of leather pants, both black, heavy boots giving him the traction and protection he needed to leap up _onto _the spider, slashing with a huge, ornate sword. Kairi caught, briefly, the wild, thrilled grin on the man's face, short, white-silver hair gleaming in the firelight.

The other…Kairi didn't know what to think. The person, whoever they were, were encased in armor, but an armor unlike any she had ever seen before. The dominant color over the slender torso and down onto the thighs was yellow, the legs and arms shifting to that metallic orange. The lower right arm was encased in a projectile weapon of some kind, and both shoulders bore large spheres bigger than the helmet. The helmet itself broke from the color scheme to be a deep, rich red, a slanted, elegant visor in a crystalline green seeming to glow from within.

…_is that a robot? _Kairi thought dumbly, but Citan's hand was on her shoulder again, dragging her towards the door. "We have to leave!"

"But, they…!" She cried, protesting a second time as others were left behind to fight what felt like _her _battle. It wasn't right, it wasn't fair!

But there was little fairness left in this world and, without warning, a wave of fire rippled outwards from the spider's body, knocking Zack and the others in all directions. Kairi and Citan barely managed to avoid getting crushed by Zack, who hit with enough force to crack the stone floor. However, all Zack did was grunt in pain and lurch back to his feet, nursing a leg but obviously ready for another go. The armored person—and/or robot—was at his side, the silver-haired man at the far end of the room.

Before Kairi could even blink, they were moving again, launching themselves fearlessly at a creature that spewed fire and magma, slick trails of super-heated oil dripping from fangs as big as she was. As she watched, the man in red took a glancing hit across his back from one of the massive legs, the cloth of his coat and a deeper, wetter crimson flying outwards. Zack was there in an instant to push him out of the way of a second attack, though his weak leg cost him, crumpling beneath him as he tried to dodge a stream of fire. He fell and, this time, wasn't able to get to his feet again. The last of the three leapt to their defense, bursts of concentrated light flaring out from the gun arm, but it would only last so long…

Kairi didn't know what to do.

_It's not…fair…_

But she knew that she couldn't stand there and do nothing.

_It's not FAIR._

Afterwards, she was never really able to explain why she thought to do it, of all things, but her hand fumbled at her pocket, fingers closing around the small, leaf-like whistle Cielo had given her. Brain working almost on autopilot, she forced her trembling hands to bring the dyaus pipe to her mouth. Her throat was tight, dry to the point of pain from the heat and the panic, but she sucked in a gasping breath just the same, eyes squeezing shut as she blew as hard as she could.

_Always remember to add a little of your heart…_

She put everything into it. The terror, the helplessness, the worry and fear and dread and guilt and _hope_ that somehow, _someway_, they could make it through this. She couldn't let anyone die. Not like this, not this way, not because she had failed to do her part, to be more than just the princess standing behind the knight. What she actually was capable of, she wasn't so sure of anymore…but that didn't mean she couldn't try.

_Please…please! Please, stop fighting them…_

Kairi willed the words to be carried through the high, shrill, yet somehow melodic note that went on and on, her breath unceasing even as her chest burned. One hand kept the pipe pressed against her lips, while the other slowly extended, fingertips trembling. From fear, exhaustion, and whatever else, but she extended it just the same, an offer for friendship, a plea for mercy.

Her heart nearly stopped when the beast grew still, shifted, and then turned, eyes full of darkness settling on her.

_It's working…it's working!_

Desperate hope making her bold, Kairi paused only long enough to find another breath and blew again, pipe nearly vibrating from the effort. She extended her hand further, eyes flicking to the side, catching sight of the robot helping Zack to his feet, the red-coated man waving off any assistance, the flow of blood from his back already stopped. She could feel Citan at her back, probably frozen with astonishment at the sight of the spider taking one slow, ponderous step towards her, the swirling fire beneath its skin slowing.

_Just a little more…just a little…please…_

The vibration from the pipe was increasing in intensity. She could feel it against her lips, shuddering down through her jaw. It worried her, but Kairi was more than aware that she couldn't stop. She met those terrible eyes with her own, fighting off the chill. It was working…it was working…they were…

_Please…_

She heard something crack. Then again, and something sharp cut into her chin and fingers. Then the last time, and the pipe beneath her fingers shattered, fragments flickering like pale green starfire as they flew in all directions.

_NO._

**……………**

"We've evacuated what's left of the population," said a severe, grim-looking man in combat fatigues, the pattern dark, yet oddly tinted with red and bronze. For the work he did, it was perfect of night missions in the city. He'd been on one such mission when the "attack" had come and, while stealth no longer had any use, he probably hadn't had time to change. "The only gummi ships we couldn't use were the Losstarot and the Guildenstern."

"And that would be because they're blocked off," Aerith finished for him with a sigh, eyes closing briefly in weariness. A catastrophe where the cruiser-class ships would have been a godsend, and they hadn't been able to reach them. It was impossible to travel any distance through Hollow Bastion now without serious loss of life, and reaching the tower landing pads? Impossible. But she didn't have time to let the loss affect her. Opening her eyes again, she gave the man a curt nod. "Thank you, Commander Snake. Take the Shera with Professor Cid and get the rest of the civilians off the planet. The Captain and I will take the last ship."

The commander nodded his understanding and gave her a sharp salute, then was gone the next moment. Aerith didn't even see the door to the library open and close, but that was to be expected from a stealth operative. It garnered a smile from her, but the expression disappeared in the next moment as she went back to work, quickly placing books – books they couldn't afford to lose, not again – into a box, Cloud working diligently beside her.

"You should've gotten out a long time ago," Cloud told her in a neutral voice, already aware he would lose the argument.

"What, with the rest of the politicians and royalty?" She demanded in an offended tone, though she smiled at the same time. "Thanks, but I can take care of mys—"

There wasn't any warning. None. One moment she was alive and smiling at him, and in the next she was slumping against the table, body as limp as a ragdoll's. Blood spread out along her back, dripping onto the floor, the source a neat, slender hole in her midsection that had not been there a moment before.

Cloud would have reacted. Would have, had he not collapsed himself, still alive, but awash with a pain the likes of which he had never felt before. It tore his veins, into his brain, a liquid, arctic chill so cold it burned, all-consuming, terrible. _Mako_, something whispered to him, and he knew at once that it was right.

But as for what Mako was…he did not know.

**……………**

"Go, _go!_ I'll take care of this!"

"No, you IDIOT! You can't handle that on your own!"

"Too late to argue, spiky! Get to the north tower! Your gay friend's getting one of the ships ready!"

They were running again. Not Kairi herself, but their little rag-tag group. Citan was carrying her in his arms, Kairi's shaking hands clenching in the stained green fabric of his tunic. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the robot with Zack's arm slung over its shoulder, supporting the Blade Captain as they hurried down the hall with as much speed as they could muster. The silver-haired man was not with them. No, he'd stayed behind, cut off from them as the spider had roared its fury the moment Kairi's pipe had shattered. It had turned with terrible speed, raised front legs crashing through the ceiling, debris and molten fire thundering down to cut them off from the red-clad fighter. Rather than attempting to break through the barrier, the man had instead charged the monster, then past it, into a door on the opposite side of the room. The creature had charged after him.

Now it was just the four of them. Running and running, down corridors and up stairs in a maze of twists and turns that Kairi hardly bothered to pay attention to. This…it was madness. Pure madness. Her stomach twisted in strange, painful knots, the ache from her ribs increasing by the moment, throat tight and torn from the tears she refused to shed. She was glad that Citan was carrying her, well aware that there was no way she would be able to run on her own.

Truthfully, Kairi hardly wanted to think at all. She'd tried, she'd _tried_…but it hadn't worked. They'd lost someone anyway, and now she had nothing, no way to fight back. As a Princess of Heart, she _should have_, but no part of her could remember how to fight, or even what was at her disposal.

_What happened to me? Did I…get soft, thinking we were safe? Did I let myself forget…?_

There was a touch of bitterness at the back of her mind. What did the worlds expect of her? They'd _won_, they'd gone home…why did she have to remember how to fight? Why did she—and Sora, and Riku—always have to be at the universe's beck and call? They were their own people, they had their own lives, couldn't they just _live them_?

Judging from the carnage all around her, Kairi could only assume that the answer was no.

"We're almost there," Citan said suddenly, to her and to the others. "Captain Nox was prepping the Losstarot for departure when we went to look for survivors."

"Albel's alright?" Kairi could easily hear the relief in Zack's voice.

"More than alright, I would think," Citan said, a tiny smile on his face despite the dire situation. "But we have to hurry. It's our only means of escape. Lady Gainsborough was organizing an evacuation, but the south wing collapsed and cut us off."

"So the cruisers are our only way out of here," Zack replied, a bemused tone in his weary voice. "Guess if we all live through this, you'll get that extra grant to continue production."

"Oh, possibly."

How they could sound so lighthearted, Kairi didn't know. She just wanted to sleep, to pass out and forget, at least for a little while. But in the next moment, she realized that she couldn't do that. What would Sora and Riku think of her if she did? What would she think of herself? It hurt, all of this did—from injuries and otherwise—but she couldn't stop, could she? Some…some of them were still alive, and if they could escape…then she could still stand and do that. She _could_.

Just like she could ignore the fear deep within her heart that one day she wouldn't be able to. That one day she'd fall, and there would be nothing she could do about it. Even now, she couldn't convince her heart of the supposed truth. She'd stand, she'd keep moving…but it was a fallacy, a mask she was determinedly setting into place.

"There's the exit!" Zack shouted, and Kairi followed his gaze to the far end of the corridor, tall double doors hanging open to reveal a landing pad she'd seen upon her arrival. It wasn't what drew her attention, however, nor did the sleek, familiar shape of the Losstarot upon it.

What she had seen in the windows had been nothing compared to this. As they approached, the glassy darkness of the outside gained shapes in its bowels, the great skyscrapers of the city reduced to wispy echoes of their former selves. Everything was tinted the shade of midnight, the only dismal light the faint flickers of what she could only assume were hearts and souls, slowly dying, fading, crushed by an all-consuming abyss that suffocated the fabric of the world. As they charged through the door, a wave of _absence _swept over her, causing Kairi to shudder violently, her too-sensitive heart groaning from some unknown agony.

She had expected it to be cold. She had expected it to be oppressive, intrusive, some terrible, silent invader out to consume all that she was. But…but this was no darkness she knew. In fact…

It didn't feel like darkness at all. Just _nothing_. A nihilistic cloud of anti-existence, dark only because there was an absence of light. It sickened her, a thick sense of nausea settling into her very bones, animalistic terror clenching in her chest. It was the same feeling she had experienced with Hojo, the paralyzing sense that _it_, _IT_ had found her and would take her and there was nothing she could do.

"You are _late_, Faolan."

The shout jerked her out of her thoughts, Kairi staring in disbelief as she realized that they had approached the ship, Albel striding quickly over, looking a bit the worse for wear by otherwise in one piece.

"Heh, got held up," Zack responded with a weary grin, still supported by the robot's shoulder.

"Why am I not surprised?" Albel replied with a scowl, though there was something else in his expression that was not anger. "The ship's ready to take off at any time. The last communication we got from the castle reported that the remaining survivors had already left."

"Then we had best get going," Citan was already making his way towards the main ramp of the Losstarot, stepping up onto it with Kairi still in his arms.

"Wait up!"

There was a round of startled jumps—the robot leveling its weapon and Albel reaching at his side for his sword—but the voice was revealed to be Fayt, jogging as fast as he could out of the door carrying someone on his back. Kairi, in spite of herself, felt her eyes widen. Reena, clinging to Fayt's shoulders with determined exhaustion, met her gaze, equally surprised. But there was no time for pleasant reunions.

In the next few moments, there really wasn't time for anything at all.

"Serge is right behind me!" Fayt shouted again, halfway between the door and the ship. "He just had to—"

Fayt didn't get to finish, abruptly knocked off his feet by a blur of blue and black and gleaming, golden eyes that were slanted and slitted, a panther's gaze glaring out from deep shadow. The apprentice fell, taking Reena with him, and they both cried out as they hit the ground hard, bumping and skidding from the force of the blow. Kairi saw a splash of red spread out across the ground and her heart jumped into her throat, that now-familiar fear intensifying tenfold as that shadow came to a stop, hunched but standing on two legs, glaring at them all with an empty, hungry madness.

It had Serge's face. His hair was longer, fringed in gray and white and black, more like fur than hair, and his ears were pointed, inching up along his head. His clothing was torn, split at the seams from where his body had grown, taller now than he had been before, curled fingers tipped with claws. And he was _still _changing, the air around him convulsing, altering, fur and muscles inching and bulging on his body even as he stood still, staring at them as a predator stares at its prey.

Then he leapt, and Kairi didn't have any more time to think. Reena screamed, just rolling aside in time to avoid Serge's frenzied pounce, though he twisted on his heels, diving at her again, mouth gaping open to reveal dagger-sharp teeth. Fayt, eyes wide, expression full of horror and confusion and open panic, lunged at him from behind on pure instinct, arms going around his legs to cut him off. Both of them collapsed to the ground again as Reena stumbled to her feet, making a mad dash for the ship.

The loss of his prey seemed to enrage Serge, the former-boy writhing, roaring, howling, the sounds as inhuman as Hojo's had been. He twisted around, lethal hands lashing out and just missing his brother's neck to instead bury themselves into Fayt's shoulder. The teen screamed in agony as his flesh was ripped to ribbons, Serge cruelly twisting his hands, a kind of insane glee entering his brutal gaze at the sight of the blood.

"STAND DOWN!"

Serge jerked, movement stopping for a split second at that loud, resonating command and it was just enough of an opening for Albel to slam his elbow into his temple, knocking Serge away from his brother. It didn't render him unconscious, however, Serge twisting even as he fell to land and skid to a stop on his own feet, facing the Dark Blade Captain with teeth bared, a sharp snarl cutting the air. Albel faced him squarely, sword in hand, eyes narrowed with determination, though the muscles in his jaw and neck clenched as he spoke.

"Go. Now. Leave him to me."

Kairi had expected Citan or Fayt to be the first to protest. Who did instead shocked her, Zack's yell laced with a tremulousness that was just as unexpected. "_No!_"

Albel, in contrast, was frighteningly calm. "You have people to protect, Faolan. It won't be the same this time."

"But…!"

Though his back was to them now, Kairi could almost hear the smirk—a grin? A smile?—in Albel's voice. "Just go, fool. I wouldn't _mind_ your help…but I don't need the help of an invalid."

For a reason Kairi couldn't grasp, that somehow got through to Zack, the Light Blade Captain setting his jaw and nodding curtly. Responding to some unsaid signal, the robot moved forward abruptly, sprinting up the ramp, Zack wincing with every step. He didn't protest, instead keeping his eyes on Albel.

Serge's attention snapped to the pair at the movement, and he tensed, body suddenly erupting with motion as he dove forward in pursuit. But Albel moved again, coming between them, sword flashing in the dull light of dying hearts and their souls. Serge responded with a roar that was almost a hiss, changing direction to slam into him instead, the pair descending into a blur of clothing and claws and cutting strikes, blood coloring the air.

Then Citan was turning, heading up the ramp again, and Kairi had no choice but to turn her eyes away, shuddering, thoughts shattered, so very distant now, as they left two more of their own behind.

"Something's wrong!"

_I know, I know it…why does this have to happen?_

"What? The skies should be clear!"

_It's all…it's not the same. Nothing. Everything. I can't…_

They were on the bridge now, the viewscreen displaying the nightmare outside. And more…so much more.

"…oh god…"

"Take off, _take off_!"

"Something's holding us down!"

"But there's _nothing _there!"

_Nothing…nothing…_

Kairi wasn't sure if the voice in her head was her own. She concentrated on it, numbly trying to discern who it was. It was better than watching, realizing, accepting the madness that reality had become, the screen displaying a tempest of whirling, heaving existence, buildings and bodies and what was left of life on the world heaving upwards, thrown about as if by giant, monstrous hands. All was bathed in absence, dissolving into naught as it was consumed by something that literally had no name.

_Nothing as was began and ended with._

_As was given but then was lost._

The Losstarot was the next to heave, the world turning upside down, and Kairi's gaze went dark as a jarring impact robbed her of consciousness.

_-The birth by sleep.-_

**……………**

**Next Chapter: **Unexpected Turns

**Characters: **Mario, Luigi – _Super Mario Bros._, Hojo – _Final Fantasy VII_, Naoki – _Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne_, Link – _The Legend of Zelda_, Snake – _Metal Gear Solid_.


End file.
